What Is Age Discrimination? Age discrimination is when you’re treated differently or unfairly on the basis of your age.
It can occur in any setting although it is commonly associated with the workplace, particularly if someone is overlooked for a role because they are considered too old or too young.
Age discrimination is protected by law under the Equality Act 2010 and is one of several protected characteristics.
To be connected to a specialist discrimination solicitor near to where you live or work, please either call us now on 0845 1391399 or complete a Free Online Enquiry.
Equality Act And Age Discrimination
The Equality Act 2010 is a law which protects you from discrimination. It means that you cannot be discriminated against or treated unfairly on the basis of characteristics such as age.
The protected characteristics include;
- Age
- Race
- Gender reassignment
- Being married or in a civil partnership
- Sex
- Religion or belief
- Being pregnant or on maternity leave
- Sexual orientation
The protection under the Equality Act isn’t just in the workplace, though – you are protected against unfair treatment or discrimination because of your age in a variety of settings including in education, health settings (hospitals and GP surgeries, for example), shops, and many other places.
Examples Of Age Discrimination
You might think that age discrimination only happens to older people and is often associated with retirement age – but that’s not necessarily the case.
Age groups are often used in certain scenarios and one situation that might occur is someone who is 75 could be refused entry to the gym, which would be unlawful.
It might also be that someone who is 25 is looked over for a promotion despite having more relevant experience and being more qualified than someone who is 40, purely on the basis of their age.
There are a wide variety of ways in which age discrimination can occur and the central theme is that age is the basis for the decision.
There is also the reality that older people are much more likely to be selected for redundancy, despite this being age discrimination. If you think this is a situation that is relevant, you should seek legal advice as soon as possible whether it’s through the Citizen’s Advice Bureau, a union representative, or an employment solicitor.
When Is Age Discrimination Lawful?
It’s not.
Age discrimination has been illegal in the UK since 2006, and age is a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010.
If you feel you’ve been discriminated against because of your age, you should speak to a legal expert. At Solicitors Near Me, we understand that if you’ve experienced discrimination, it can be a stressful and unpleasant experience.
That’s why we’re here to help you find the legal support and advice you need.
Direct Or Indirect Age Discrimination Examples
There are many different types of age discrimination, including direct discrimination, indirect discrimination, victimisation, harassment, and discrimination by association.
Direct discrimination is when you’re treated unfairly or negatively because of your age, which might mean you’ve been refused a gym membership, overlooked for a promotion, or made redundant because of your age.
Indirect discrimination is where the criteria of something has a discriminatory effect on you because of your age. A good example is payment via instalments only being offered to those who are working, which would discriminate against those who are retired.
Victimisation is when you’re treated unfairly because you’ve made a complaint or raised a grievance about discrimination, or even if you’ve given evidence when someone else has made a complaint.
While harassment is when you feel that a hostile environment has been created because of the behaviour that someone else has shown. It might make you feel intimidated, humiliated, or even degraded. Perhaps someone keeps making jokes about your age or repeatedly directs abuse about the age of your partner or a loved one towards you.
Ageism In Job Adverts?
Ageism in job adverts occurs when it becomes apparent that age limits and words which might suggest they’re looking for an employee within a certain age range are being used.
That might be ‘a minimum of 5 years’ experience’, ‘people who have graduated recently’ or similar wording that implies a specific age group is being preferred.
But you should be aware that employers can ask for your date of birth when applying for a role to check if you’re over 18 and to ensure that they’re finding a wide range of candidates.
Making An Age Discrimination Claim
At Solicitors Near Me, we know how important it is to deal with your age discrimination claim.
It can be difficult to broach the subject but finding the right solicitor for you can make all the difference and ease the stress associated with age discrimination and the legal side of making a claim.
That’s why we’re here to simplify the legal part of the process as much as we can, by connecting you with an expert employment discrimination solicitor near you for FREE so that you can get the help and advice you need.
You’re under no obligation to press ahead with the solicitor we connect you with and until you decide to proceed, everything is completely FREE.
Discrimination Solicitors Near Me
To be connected to a specialist discrimination solicitor near to where you live or work, please either call us now on 0845 1391399 or complete a Free Online Enquiry.
