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Discrimination against older workers will remain

‘rife’ without intervention, experts warn

Chair of the Women protected characteristics,
and Equalities Committee but would take into
Maria Miller MP said the account the views of
lack of collaboration in the committee when
tackling this issue was considering its priorities in
“disappointing”. supporting older workers.
Employers need to “Without e“ective “We have taken, and
make workplaces intervention from the will continue to take,
accessible for everyone government and EHRC, robust enforcement action,
we cannot see how using all of our statutory
discriminatory practices powers, to tackle unlawful
EXPERTS HAVE recruitment practices. against older people in discrimination and ensure
CRITICISED the The Department for employment, that we know that no-one is excluded
government’s response to a Business, Energy and are rife, will be tackled,” from the workplace. This
parliamentary committee’s Industrial Strategy she said. includes enabling Britain’s
report on older workers, (BEIS) indicated at the “That’s why I nd the employers to benet from
labelling it ‘disappointing’ beginning of October responses we have received the talent and contributions
and bemoaning a lack of that the government may disappointing, as we had of workers of all ages,” a
clearly dened action to propose imposing duties hoped they would have spokesperson told People
increase support for an on employers to consider worked together to agree Management.
ageing workforce. exible working policies. specic enforcement They continued: “The
In its response to the However, the report actions across both the right to request exible
report Older People and indicated a voluntary public and private sectors.” working should apply from
Employment, which was approach ahead of a The committee called day one in all jobs and we
published by the Women review in 2019, rather than on the EHRC to protect have stressed the need for
and Equalities Committee in requiring all jobs to be older workers from employers to make their
July, the government said it advertised as exible. outdated stereotypes and workplaces accessible for
was committed to ensuring The government added it age discrimination in the everyone, including older
older workers beneted would be ‘inappropriate’ to recruitment process through people, parents and carers.
from employment in take enforcement action on a robust strategy to enforce “We have also sought to
later life, but would not supporting older workers, the Equality Act 2010. tackle bias in recruitment
propose legislation to as the Equality and Human In a response printed in by taking action against
guarantee exible working Rights Commission (EHRC) the report, the EHRC said discriminatory adverts that
opportunities, or increase would be addressing this it was not in a position request characteristics or
specic enforcement in a separate response at a to develop enforcement terms that are associated
against discrimination in later date. actions targeting specic with a particular age group.” ■

Gender pay gap at lowest level yet, says ONS

THE GENDER PAY GAP National Statistics (ONS) gap varies according to age, Executive of the Fawcett
has fallen to its lowest has reported. with older female workers Society, which campaigns
level yet, the O—ce for In the year to April much more likely to be on gender rights.
2018, the gap for full-time underpaid in comparison. “This slow rate of
workers was 8.6 per cent – The ONS said the pay gap progress means without
down from 9.1 per cent in for those under the age of signicant action, women
the previous year. 39 was now insignicant and starting work today and in
The average female was narrowing ‘markedly’ for decades to come will spend
employee now earns 8.6 per those between the ages of their entire working lives
cent less than the average 40 and 49. earning less than men.”
man, reports the BBC. However, pressure The TUC said that the
However, campaigners said groups said the change was current rate of progress
the rate of improvement was happening far too gradually. meant that it would take
The gender pay gap is too slow and was a missed “This is a practically static another 55 years for men
slowly shrinking opportunity for the economy. picture on pay inequality,” and women to achieve
The extent of the pay said Sam Smethers, Chief pay parity. ■

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News.indd 6 15/11/2018 14:22