Prepare for new age law
Employers in the agricultural sector are urged to prepare themselves for the introduction of the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations on October 1.
James English, a specialist in employment law at law firm Smithson Clarke, warns: "The new regulations prohibit age discrimination and will apply to most areas of employment, including job advertisements, employee appointments, promotion, pay, bonuses, benefits and retirement or dismissal."
"Employees then have a right to request to work beyond that date and employers have a "duty to consider" the request.
"Currently, employees aged 65 or over, cannot claim unfair dismissal or redundancy pay.
"The new regulations will sweep away the age limit and you will therefore need to ensure you follow the correct procedures when an employee over 65 retires.
"If you don't, it may result in a claim for unfair dismissal and age discrimination."
At the moment, employees under 18 or over 65 are not automatically entitled to statutory minimum redundancy payments.
The new regulations will mean that statutory payments will apply regardless of age, as will statutory sick pay.
