Ageism law takes on old prejudices

New regulation will see companies make more use of available IT skills

Nearly three-quarters of IT workers believe ageism is rife in the sector, says new research.

The study by online recruitment site IT Job Board also found more than one-third of respondents were unaware of the anti-ageism regulations that came into force on 1 October.

The Employment Equality (Age) Regulations outlaw age discrimination against employees or job applicants under the age of 65. Companies can no longer specify or imply an ideal age when advertising for employees.

‘This is the biggest shake-up in workplace anti-discrimination legislation for over a quarter of a century,’ said Ray Duggins, IT Job Board managing director.

The new legislation protects against ageism at both ends of the spectrum, but Duggins says it is the older category who most often get a raw deal. ‘Older workers clearly have a lot to offer the IT industry,’ he said.

Beatrice Rogers, senior programme manager at IT trade association Intellect, says age discrimination can only worsen the IT skills shortages.

‘Not only will employers have a much smaller pool of resources to tap into, but they will also be losing out on a large amount of skillsets,’ she said.

The CBI says employers should be aware of what the law requires, as penalties can be severe.

‘The awards that tribunals can make are uncapped so clearly employers should ensure they are up to speed on the requirements of this new regulation,’ said spokesman Richard Wainer.

Anthony Fincham, partner at law specialist Cameron McKenna, says that the impact of the new regulation will be similar to that of the Equal Pay Act of 1970.

What do you think? Email [email protected]