Age Discrimination

[Cloverjo]

I've just been sent by an agency details of a job that I'm interested in. However, it specifies a maximum age of 35. (I'm over 35). I thought it was illegal to discriminate on grounds of age. Am I right?

[AuntLydia]

Yes it is illegal to discriminate on grounds of age but there are exceptions . For instance work involving items or services that have a legal age limit such as serving behind a bar. I can't begin to imagine what job could be done by a 34 year old that couldn't be done by a 36 year old!

[fiction-factory]

You are right. Jobs via agencies are covered in the same way. I can see their may be exceptional cases where it is justified for job adverts but I'm not aware the law allows for it

[Cloverjo]

Thank you both. I might just apply for the job not telling them my age, and see what happens.

[Maydup]

Its illegal to ask for someone's age during the recruitment process, so go for it!

I'd consider using a different agency in the future though, if they make this error with age related adverts, then they are not likely to be operating best practise in other areas.

[Cloverjo]

Thanks, maydup.
I might as well try, although they could easily say 'Thank you for your application, but you weren't successful.'
The fact that I did O levels and not GCSEs gives my age away though.

[woofgang]

its called a Genuine Occupational Qualification (GOQ) which allows employers to specify a requirement that would otherwise be illegal. Apart from legal age requirements for things like serving alcohol, its most usually used in abuse treatment centres or specialist mental health facilities.

[fiction-factory]

re you able to give us an idea of the sort of role is it Cloverjo as I can think of very few where age would be a GOQ. The army for example has an upper age limit which is lower than 35.

[diddlydo]

Good luck to you Cloverjo. I do a seasonal job from which I would have been by now debarred had it not been for the relatively new legislation re age discrimination.

[Cloverjo]

Thanks for the further replies. The job is with the RAF as an analyst.

[Rosetta]

Playing devils advocate, it might be that over a certain age they feel they are unlikely to recoup any expensive training costs

[237SJ]

I might be wrong but I think the Military might be exempt from age discrimination laws in the UK

[Cloverjo]

Ah well, thank you for your replies.

[sherrardk]

Without being rude, you probably won't pass the fitness requirements (I did o levels and I know I couldn't).

[Hopkirk]

... and there was me thinking it was for a pole dancer.

[Cloverjo]

I didn't even know I had to be fit to do that job. No chance then :/

[Mamyalynne]

Seems so

https://www.raf.mod.uk/recruitment/roles/roles-finder/intelligence/intelligence-analyst

[Cloverjo]

Oh. Not as much money as I expected. I thought the required qualifications would be higher too.

I didn't receive those details from my job agency.

Thanks, everyone, anyway.

[vulcan42]

You have to pass the RAF fitness test irrespective of what trade you ultimately enter.