Apprentice joiner, 16, wins age discrimination payout from builders

A 16-YEAR- OLD apprentice branded “immature” by his boss is thought to be the youngest ever employee to win an age discrimination case.

Callum Graham has been awarded almost £8,000 after MHD Builders treated him “less favourably” due to his age, a judge ruled.

Mr Graham was offered a job as an apprentice joiner with the Newcastle company. The post was for two years and included one day a week release to attend a college course.

Mr Graham, who was represented in court by his father, Mark, had accepted the job offer verbally and in writing.

He turned down other job offers to take the apprenticeship, but two months later was still waiting to start and was then t old that the f i rm would not be able to take him on as it had lost a contract. Mr Graham sought legal advice and emailed Gareth Hynes, the co-owner of MHD, to say he would take the company to an employment tribunal.

However, Mr Hynes wrote back to him, claiming the teenager had “a lot of maturing up to do”, that he had never signed a contract and threatened to ruin his name in the trade.

In his ruling, Seamus Sweeney, the Employment Judge, said: “The email is a nasty threat to scupper the claimant’s opportunities by blackening his name among businesses in the industry in which he sought to work.”

He s ubsequently awarded Mr Graham £7,908 for breach of contract and age discrimination.

Judge Sweeney said Mr Hynes was influenced by the claimant’s youth. He said: “I infer he would not make this particular threat to an older person – whether a job applicant or employee. It is clear from the email that Mr Hynes was trying to teach the claimant a bit of a lesson.

“He treated the claimant less favourably because of his age. In doing so, he subjected him to a detriment.”

The firm was ordered to pay the teenager £5,408 in lost earnings. A further £2,500 was awarded to him for age discrimination, for which Mr Hynes and MHD are jointly responsible.

The company was contacted for comment.