Human Resources: Age discrimination to be outlawed

The UK's Department of Trade and Industry has announced that draft regulations have been published by the Government that will give employees aged 65 and over the same unfair dismissal and redundancy payments rights as younger workers.

The changes will not affect the age at which the state pension may be claimed.The new measures in the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 will

• ban age discrimination in terms of recruitment, promotion and training
• ban all retirement ages below 65, except where objectively justified
• remove the current upper age limit for unfair dismissal and redundancy rights.

They will also introduce

• a duty for employers to consider an employee's request to continue working beyond retirement
• a requirement for employers to give written notification to employees at least 6 months in advance of their intended retirement date, in order to allow them to plan for their retirement.