Age discrimination laws come into force

The Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006, which prohibit age discrimination in employment and vocational training, come into force on 1 October 2006.

The new laws will prohibit, in the areas of employment and vocational training, direct and indirect discrimination, harassment and victimisation. It will also provide for a national default retirement age of 65. Employees will have the right to request to work beyond this age, and this right will be modelled on the right to request flexible working.

The Government has consulted on draft Regulations (closing date: 17 October 2005) and expects to publish finalised Regulations in early 2006.

  • How to prepare for the forthcoming age discrimination legislation   Practical guidance from HR & Compliance Centre's How to service.

  • Age discrimination   Detailed legal guidance from HR & Compliance Centre's reference manual.

  •    Read the draft Regulations in full, on the DTI website.

  • Consultation on the draft Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 (PDF format, 335K)
  •   Read the consultation document, on the DTI website.

    Also

    Information on new age Regulations   IRS journal Equal Opportunities Review reports.

    What will age discrimination laws mean for reward?   Margaret Kubicek investigates the potential impact of the forthcoming age discrimination Regulations for reward practitioners, including the implications for employers who award service-related benefits.

    What impact will the age Regulations have on the workplace?   Christine Jenner of Winckworth Sherwood identifies some of the main policies, procedures and areas of workplace culture that will be affected by the age discrimination Regulations from 1 October 2006.

    Test your knowledge on age discrimination    Writing in Personnel Today, Employers Forum on Age director Sam Mercer presents a quiz to help get you and your team thinking along 'age aware' lines.

    Older people stay in work for personal and financial reasons    IRS journal Equal Opportunities Review looks at the findings of new research from the Department for Work and Pensions.


    Older workers are in good shape   IRS journal Occupational Health Review looks at the findings of new research from the Health and Safety Laboratory, which finds that older workers are not less healthy and do no take more sick leave than other staff.


    Countdown to ageism laws   No other issue has dominated the agendas of HR conferences and the pages of the business press more than the UK's forthcoming age discrimination legislation.

    Desperate employers fear age of discontent    Personnel Today's Mike Berry reports.

    Draft age Regulations may not implement the Directive   The draft age discrimination Regulations arguably fall short of doing the minimum necessary to implement the age strand of the EU Framework Employment Directive, writes Michael Rubenstein.

    Ageism is most common form of discrimination    IRS journal Equal Opportunities Review looks at the findings of new research from Age Concern and the University of Kent.

    Legal Q&A: Age discrimination Regulations   Writing in Personnel Today, Sue Nickson and Clare Boneham of Hammonds answer frequently asked questions on the implications for employers on the age discrimination Regulations.

    The clock is ticking: one year to root out age discrimination    Writing in IRS Employment Review, Rachel Suff examines the likely impact of the age discrimination Regulations on work practices, and looks at how some organisations have pre-empted the new law.

    Age discrimination to be illegal    IRS Employment Review examines the main points of the Regulations, and advises employers to start reviewing their recruitment procedures, staff benefits and retirement rules now.