This equipment was donated by Thompsons solicitors Age Discrimination at Work: Reviewing the new Regulations Thursday 9 th November 2006

The Next Generation of Workers: The Age Regulations and Young Workers Raj Jethwa TUC Youth Policy Officer Institute of Employment Rights Age Discrimination at Work 9 th November 2006

Young workers Concentrated in certain sectors High rates of labour market turnover Low levels of unionisation Low understanding of employment rights Institute of Employment Rights Age Discrimination at Work 9 th November 2006

Recognising discrimination Institute of Employment Rights Age Discrimination at Work 9 th November 2006 Young people experience work from an early age Poor behaviour becomes normalised Unaware of employment rights Less able to recognise mistreatment

Child employment Institute of Employment Rights Age Discrimination at Work 9 th November percent of year olds work at some point 25 percent are under 13 years 30 per cent work for more than two hours a day (legal maximum) 10 percent work more than five hours a day 10 percent admit truanting to work

Children feeling too tired to do homework or school work Institute of Employment Rights Age Discrimination at Work 9 th November 2006

NMW - Adult rate Institute of Employment Rights Age Discrimination at Work 9 th November 2006 What is the minimum wage for a 25 year old?

NMW - Development rate Institute of Employment Rights Age Discrimination at Work 9 th November 2006 What is the minimum wage for year olds?

Recruitment and selection Age can be euphemism for lack of experience, or vis versa Use of language in recruitment procedures Fear of promoting younger workers and offending older colleagues Institute of Employment Rights Age Discrimination at Work 9 th November 2006

Labour Market Turnover Institute of Employment Rights Age Discrimination at Work 9 th November 2006

Qualification levels and training School leavers are most likely to suffer age discrimination Employers reluctant to invest in training until workers shown commitment to firm More qualifications employees have, more likely they are to be offered training Institute of Employment Rights Age Discrimination at Work 9 th November 2006

Pensions provision Many young people excluded from occupational schemes Two-thirds of employees in wholesale and retail do not have an occupational pension. In hotels and restaurants, 90 percent do not have access to any form of occupational pension scheme. Institute of Employment Rights Age Discrimination at Work 9 th November 2006

Bullying Talking down to younger people Doubting or belittling their activities Resistant to advice from younger colleagues Resent abilities of younger workers Unfair criticism Instructing younger workers to carry out menial tasks Institute of Employment Rights Age Discrimination at Work 9 th November 2006

Stereotyping young workers Less reliable and more likely to take time off Less committed and irresponsible Care more about their social life Institute of Employment Rights Age Discrimination at Work 9 th November 2006