Internet Age Pensioners

Employers are risking age discrimination by turning to the internet for hiring and firing, a Lancashire expert has warned.

More and more organisations are using the World Wide Web to advertise for jobs, issue application forms and finally receive the applications ready to make interview decisions.

But a recent survey by the Office for National Statistics has shown that whilst the proportion of adults in Great Britain who use the internet is increasing, many people over 55 do not use it as regularly.

Now Chris Boyle, head of employment law at Napthens Solicitors, Lancashire, has warned that for an organisation to rely too heavily on the internet in this way could risk a claim of age discrimination.

He said: ìCompanies would not dream of denying a request for a large print application form for a short-sighted applicant, but many are putting far too much reliance on the internet.

ìAccording to the Office for National Statistics, in 2006, 84 per cent of people aged 16 to 24 had used the internet within the last three months, but only 52 per cent of people had aged 55 to 64.

ìThis could be a problem because in law an employer cannot discriminate on the grounds of age in ìthe arrangements that he makesî to recruit staff. It could be argued that statistically an entire age group could find it difficult to apply for jobs on the internet.

ìOrganisations advertising for staff should make sure that more traditional methods of application are still available ñ for instance through the post. This is in the companyís best interest ñ no HR manager would want to miss out on a great applicant simply because they do not have access to the internet.î