Accountancy RADAR
accountancyradar.co.uk

Age Discrimination is wrong and unlawful 

Most kinds of discrimination are now abhorrent in the eyes of society but in the case of Age Discrimination this is still considered to be cool.  Those with power and influence still benefit from the application of discriminatory practices and they will not give up this power without a fight.

Rage against Discrimination in Accountancy Recruitment (Accountancy RADAR)

Rage against Discrimination in Accountancy Recruitment (Accountancy RADAR)

Most kinds of discrimination are now abhorrent in the eyes of society but in the case of Age Discrimination this is still considered to be cool.  Those with power and influence still benefit from the application of discriminatory practices and they will not give up this power without a fight.

Age Discrimination is still tollerated in Employment Tribunals and employment judges allow this practice to go unpunished.  The flimsiest of excuses are accepted to explain why a recruiter applied a discriminatory practice.  

Employment Tribunals have not yet applied the legislation

Age Discrimination is unlawful

Age Discrimination is now banned by the EE(A)R2006 and since October 2006 it has been wrong to discriminate against a potential employee on grounds of age.  Yet Age Discrimination is still very much alive and widely practiced and like all discrimination this will not change until the people who benefit most from this discrimination are forced to change.  Age Discrimination will continue so long as those with the power and influence still feel free to champion this unlawful practice.

Accountancy recruitment has traditionally been an area where age discrimination has been rife, “consultants” have been trained to believe that anyone who has not reached the position of Finance Director by 40 years of age is unemployable and their CV is simply binned without being considered for any position.

Employment Tribunals have confirmed that a "newly qualified" requirement would be ageist

Women aged in their fifties are considered not considered to have the same rights as other employees.  Judges expect women in their fifties to move over to make way their (the judge’s) sons and daughters.  If a fifty year old woman applies for a role currently directed at newly qualified candidates she would be branded "not a genuine job seeker"
 
The use of the terms “newly qualified” and “recently qualified” in financial recruitment in order to target candidates without much experience will always be age discrimination.  While it is true that the job may be suitable for a young person who is just starting out in their accountancy career, there is no reason why it might not also suit a middle aged person wanting to address this role for CPD reasons in order to broaden his skills, or an older person looking for a new direction or a less stressful job. There are no finance roles that demand legitimately that the person should be young as an older person could probably bring more experience and wisdom to the role.