Ageism leaves UK workers with five-year window of opportunity

Ageism
has become such a problem in the UK that the average worker has a window of
just five years’ within which they are judged to be the right age for work by
employers.

The
Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) claims that staff are
seen as too young at 35, but too old by 40. A fifth of employees have been
discouraged from a role because of age restrictions.

Evidence
from the CIPD and the Department for Work and Pensions shows that age prejudice
is much worse for staff over the age of 40, although one in 12 of the under-35s
have been discriminated against.

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Dianah
Worman, a diversity expert at the CIPD, warned employers to start changing
their ways or risk legal action when European legislation banning ageism comes
into force in 2006.

By Ross Wigham