Ageism still an issue in the workplace

Those heading towards retirement should be aware of their legal rights so as not to be pressured into retiring early.

A recent survey conducted by insurer AXA has discovered that ageism is still an issue in the workplace. The survey established that thousands of workers are being coerced into early retirement in spite of age discrimination legislation that came into force 2 years ago.

Steve Folkard of AXA explained despite legislation making it unlawful to discriminate against workers on the grounds of age, our study clearly shows that some employees are still being pressured into early retirement, meaning employers could be leaving themselves dangerously exposed to litigation.

Mr Folkard added that employees should feel confident to exercise their legal rights if they feel it is necessary and employers should take the required steps to ensure they are not open to claims against them.

In a survey by the Employers Forum on Age last year, over half of workers said they had witnessed ageist behaviour in the workplace in the last year. 30% of workers said they were aware of an older person getting paid more than someone younger for doing the same job while 31% said they had witnessed people being managed differently depending on their age.

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