The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) are concerned that smaller businesses are putting themselves at risk of costly legal disputes by ignoring the changes in the age discrimination legislation.
Only 17 percent of 750 small businesses had made the necessary changes to incorporate the new legislation. Employers are being urged to make recruitment decisions based on skills and talent alone. The Chairperson of Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service, Rita Donaghy, said: “Age discrimination can affect all employees and to comply can be very simple and quick”.
Our view
As ever, the burden on the small business owner is great. Most people understand the law, it is more likely that they have not documented this in writing.