Employment tribunal news: Number of age discrimination cases rises

People interested in employment tribunal matters have been informed that the number of claims for age discrimination has risen significantly, one report has shown.

The Tribunal Service's Annual Statistics for 2010/2011 showed that there had been a "dramatic" increase in the number of these claims brought to the service.

In the year ending March 31st 2011, 6,800 of these claims were filed, 31 per cent more than the previous year's numbers.

This increase has prompted concern from The Age and Employment Network (TAEN), with Chris Ball, chief executive of the network, saying that employers must become more age aware.

He said: "Against a backdrop of a number of high-profile ageism cases, the ending of the default retirement age and rising levels of redundancy and unemployment, many more people believe that they are being discriminated against."

This year, the BBC had to pay out £150,000 to Countryfile presenter Miriam O'Reilly after an employment tribunal ruled that she was sacked from her job due to her age.

Published by Hannah Carr