Ageism laws will let everyone join the party
21 February 2006
TEENAGERS could be enjoying SAGA holidays if new Government proposals for a blanket ban on ageism become law.
From October this year adverts for “bright young things” and “mature staff” will be illegal under the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations.
The changes will be introduced to prevent ageism at work but the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has announced it is considering broadening the legislation to cover all goods and services too.
This could mean teens joining 70-year-olds on a SAGA break or pensioners clubbing in Ibiza on a sunshine break.
The proposals, to be outlined in a Government Green Paper this summer, would make it illegal to restrict holidays to certain age groups or offer services such as discounted haircuts to others.
Refusing health or travel insurance on grounds of age would also be banned as would refusing medical treatment. The automatic age bar on magistrates and jury members – currently 65 - could also end.
Commenting on the proposals, Sadiq Vohra, partner at leading Lancashire law firm MWR, said: “This is a complicated area and could leave businesses in a bureaucratic minefield.
“This is the sort of legislation campaigners for the elderly have been lobbying for but it seems the companies who offer them specific services could now suffer as a result.
“The finer details have yet to be established so hopefully there would be sensible exemptions.
“Taken to their logical extreme the proposals would mean a business offering services to the over-50s or under-35s would be breaking the law.
“No-one would be able to stop a pensioner from signing up for a Club 18-30 trip.
“However it should be noted that the government intends simply to consult on the issue of expanding age discrimination law beyond the fields of work and training. No decision will be made in this regard until the consultation has been carried out. Therefore even if the law is expanded, it is unlikely to take effect for at least a year.”
The rules would also cover indirect discrimination. This could mean, for example, that bus companies should print timetables in larger type faces or that websites should be more user-friendly for people with poor eyesight.
There are currently no formal plans to introduce the legislation but the Government will carry out a review this summer to address the implications.
MWR is one of Preston’s largest private client law firms. Its legal services include employment law, road traffic accidents, accidents at work, occupational diseases, conveyancing and wills and probate.
