IT and Telecommunications sector must get ready for new anti-ageism laws

Time is running out for employers in the IT and Telecoms industry to get ready for new age discrimination laws - which take effect on 1 October. New figures published by the Age Partnership Group (APG) show the majority of the sectorís employers remain unconvinced of the business benefits of the new laws.

IT and Telecoms employers were asked to comment on the expected impact of new legislation, with the main results revealing that:

Only 36% of employers expect new legislation to improve staff retention.

Only 27% of employers expect new legislation to increase choice in the labour market by providing more job applicants of different ages.

Only 23% predict that age legislation will lead to ëbetter workersí.

The statistics show that, with less than six months to go, age legislation is still perceived as a business burden in the IT and Telecoms industry. To combat this, the Age Partnership Group, as part of its campaign to encourage employers to ëbe readyí, has launched new information with details on age legislation and some of the benefits of age diversity practices.

The Employers Forum on Age claims that lack of action could expose employers to 73 billion worth of claims unless they are properly prepared, with a potential cost of 193 million in 2007 alone. Launched this week, the APGís information materials (a ëPersonnel Organiser and CD-Rom) aim to help employers be ready for the new laws by providing full details on new age legislation, Acas guidance, real-life case studies and further help and support.

Ageism is currently the most prevalent form of discrimination in the workplace. The new legislation requires employers to review their employment practices to ensure they are based on skills and competencies, not age.

Employers can request free information direct from the APG by calling a free order line on 0845 715 2000 or emailing apg@trgeuropeplc.com. Further information can be found here