How Do the UK Age Regulations Compare to ADEA legislation?
We set out in the attached pdf, a table comparing the UK and US anti-age discrimination legislation. The key difference between the UK and the US approaches explained The US anti-age discrimination seeks to protect persons aged 40 and older. There is no corresponding limitation under the UK Age Regulations. The UK Age Regulations are significantly wider in scope in that they make it unlawful to discriminate against persons of all ages, young and old. For example, a job advert for a “mature candidate with gravitas” is likely to constitute direct discrimination in the UK, but it would not, on the face of it, be unlawful under the US legislation. Further, if a UK manager tells a young worker that he or she is “wet behind the ears,” “straight out of diapers,” or “only a youngster,” it is as likely to constitute harassment in the UK as is telling jokes about “old fogies” or referring to an older worker as “granddad.” Further, the UK Age Regulations protect “age groups” below 40 years of age
