Agent asked for Date of Birth

[snaw]

Found the relevant bit, seems like FAQQEr ahs it right, pretty much.

Recruitment and selection

Age, age-related criteria or age ranges should not be used in advertisements except to encourage applications from age groups which do not usually apply. While such forms of encouragement through positive action are lawful, positive discrimination is not and employers need to make sure they treat everyone fairly regardless of their age especially when trying to redress imbalances in the average age of their workforces.

While age should never be taken into account in employment decisions, age details are needed by employers for a variety of reasons including, for example, workforce monitoring. However, monitoring information can be asked for in a ‘tear-off’ section of an application form to make sure it is not used inappropriately in the selection process.

Interviewers and those concerned with selection must be trained to make sure they understand what causes age discrimination and how to avoid it so they make recruitment decisions based on objective criteria relevant to the job and personal merit.

[northernladuk]

Sounds like you know. Just know from my missus, who's in recruitment, that it's illegal to use a whole host of words which could be construed as age related (Young, dynamic etc) because they're treading a fine line so my understanding based on this was that's it's illegal to ask specifically for someone's age.

Technically by asking for a DoB you are NOT asking for the persons age. You can derive this from the DoB if you wish but you are not asking age therefore surely falls out of scope of alot of age related arguments?

[SueEllen]

Technically by asking for a DoB you are NOT asking for the persons age. You can derive this from the DoB if you wish but you are not asking age therefore surely falls out of scope of alot of age related arguments?

Of course you are asking someone's age if you ask their DOB, so it is related to the discussion.

In the sporting things I do they ask for DOB to put you into the relevant age group category they don't ask age due to people having birthdays, as at the younger end there are age limits preventing people for entering if they haven't reached that birthday.

Anyway you can roughly work out someone's age from their qualification dates and work experience.

[thunderlizard]

But all that's just for employment isn't it? For contracting, nothing to stop a customer asking the supplier's rep's age.

[original PM]

yep if the contract between you and agency is B to B then they are not employing you so cannot be done for age discimination.

The big question is does your co ask for your age and do you feel your co is not giving you contracts based on this info.

If so sue your self

[Fred Bloggs]

Anyway you can roughly work out someone's age from their qualification dates and work experience.

Hmmm, as I'm now over 50 I have made damn sure that you cannot age me from my CV, certainly not within 10 or 15 years either way, anyhow.

[KentPhilip]

You should perhaps say to the agent that you can't give your date of birth for identity theft purposes.

Another idea is to have an un-birthday. In my case it is 14th September 1972, which is a few days away from my real birthday (and 3 years). It is most gratifying to get a deluge of emails on that day wishing me a happy birthday, and nothing on my real birthday (I wish I had more friends )

[cojak]

Hmmm, as I'm now over 50 I have made damn sure that you cannot age me from my CV, certainly not within 10 or 15 years either way, anyhow.

WHS

"Please ask for more details on pre-2000 employment".

No-one has done yet.

[centurian]

You believe wrong. It isn't unlawful to ask for a person's age on an application form or during the recruitment process. What is unlawful is to discriminate against someone based on their age (Employment (Age) Regulations, 2006), unless it can be shown that such discrimination is objectively justified.

Correct - and to protect themselves against claims - most firms don't ask for DOB, so they can't be accused of being ageist when rejecting an application (although it's fairly easy to guestimate from most CVs).

It's this self imposed rule that most firms apply to themselves, that has caused people to believe it is illegal to ask.

A bit like how most shops will give you an exchange on an item you don't want, causing many to believe they have the legal right to exchange stuff

[Fred Bloggs]

WHS

"Please ask for more details on pre-2000 employment".

No-one has done yet.

Same here.