Talents of over-50s ‘being wasted’
THE talents of more than a million people aged over 50 who want to work are being wasted because of discrimination, bias and outdated employment practices, say Birmingham and Black Country MPs.
And the Government body which is supposed to enforce the law on age discrimination is failing to do so.
The warning came from the Commons Women and Equalities Committee, which includes MPs Jess Phillips (Lab Birmingham Yardley) and Eddie Hughes (Con Walsall North).
They said businesses would be more successful if they were willing to employ older staff.
The MPs said the Equality and Human Rights Commission, which enforces equality laws, must be clearer that prejudice, unconscious bias and casual ageism in the workplace are all unlawful under the Equality Act 2010.
And they said recruitment agencies should accept greater responsibility for collecting data on which firms refuse to employ older work- ers, and explain how remove discrimination recruitment process. The MPs claimed: The country will need skilled workers in the future but the Government has failed to understand that older workers can help fill roles;
Employers will be better off if they are willing to employ older workers;
But firms must be willing to offer flexible working hours, they from will the because many older workers provide care to children, grandchildren or other family members;
Businesses that want to improve may need help to do so;
The public sector should lead the way, with employers offering flexible working by default.
Chairman of the Women and Equalities Committee, Maria Miller, said: “Age discrimination in the workplace is a serious problem, as many older people have discovered. Yet despite it being unlawful for more than a decade, the scale and lack of enforcement uncovered by our inquiry is both alarming and totally unacceptable. The Government and the Equality and Human Rights Commission have failed to get to grips with this.
“As a country we face serious challenges recruiting and retaining an experienced and skilled workforce. Until we tackle discrimination against the growing number of over 50s, they will continue to be consigned to the ‘too old’ pile instead of being part of the solution.”