The Unemployment Equality (Age) Regulations were introduced in October 2006 and are designed to give a greater degree of protection to older workers. The regulations cover recruitment, training, promotion and dismissal.

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) recently conducted a survey to determine whether the regulations were having their desired effect. The Fair Treatment at Work Age Report, based on figures from 2008, reviewed the uptake of the new rights conferred by the regulations.

The Results found that:

• Only one in five of workers aged over 60 experienced problems at work, as compared with one in three of all respondents to the survey as a whole.
• 3% of over 60s had experienced problems concerning retirement.
• 8% of those over 60 had undergone unfair treatment at work. While age was stated as the main reason for unfair treatment in this group, it was still reported more by those in the 16-24 age group.
• 4% of respondents over 60 indicated that they had experienced discrimination while at work. Again, while age was given as the main reason for discrimination, they still reported less age discrimination than those in the 16-24 age range.
• Only 3% of those over 60 in the survey said that they had experienced bullying or harassment at work compared with 5% in the survey as a whole.

So it would seem that, overall, older workers experience fewer problems than some of their younger colleagues. This is borne out by the fact that, contrary to expectations, more young people than older people have exercised the new anti-discrimination rights.

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