The Employers Forum on Age

Notes to Editors:

Age laws to be bigger than sex discrimination laws, say employers

The Employers Forum on Age (EFA) is the leading campaigner on age issues in the workplace. It has more than 230 member organisations that collectively employ over three million people - more than 14 per cent of the workforce - in the UK and offers expert advice to employers on managing the skills and age-mix of their organisations. Core members include B&Q, Barclays, BT, Cabinet Office, Centrica, Co-operative Group, DfES, CIPD, DWP, GlaxoSmithKline, HBOS, HSBC Bank, Leeds Metropolitan University, Manpower, Marks & Spencer, Nationwide Building Society, Royal Bank of Scotland Group, Royal Mail, Sainsbury's, Shell and Transport for London. Employers can join the EFA by calling: 0845 456 2495 or visiting www.efa.org.uk.

The EFA surveyed 103 members during February 2006. These organisations employ more than two million people between them.

The Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 are being introduced to comply with the EU Employment Directive (Article 13). The new legislation will carry the same weight as earlier legislation on gender, race, disability, sexual orientation, and religion and belief. Age regulations will come into force on 1st October 2006.

The legislation will require employers to change policy and practice in recruitment, selection, training, redundancy, retirement and the provision of pensions and other benefits. The EFA is able to comment on all aspects of the regulations.

The EFA estimates that age discrimination costs the UK economy £31 billion each year.