27 Jan Not Fitting In?
We have have brought to your attention many times, how excluding a candidate for any work, including Domestic and Household, on the basis of age, can lead to an Employment Tribunal and heavy penalties…..
However, a recent case demonstrated again how wide the discrimination net can be cast.
In this instance, a middle-aged father was discriminated against when the NHS rejected him for a job on the grounds that he would not fit in with younger female colleagues, a tribunal ruled.
Despite being the highest scoring candidate in the application process, Neil McClements, 50-year-old father of two, was turned down for the post at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS trust in London.
The decision was taken by the employment tribunal at Croydon, against a backdrop of the team he would have joined, was primarily aged around 30 years old and all female.
Despite not performing as well as Mr.Clements in the interview, a female candidate in her twenties was selected for the job.
Informing he had not been selected, his female would-be manager said it was because she would feel uncomfortable giving instructions to someone old enough to have an 11-year-old daughter.
The employment tribunal panel, led by Judge Tony Hyams-Parish, ruled that Mr McClements was the victim of both age and sex discrimination and awarded him more than £7,000.
The Graham Agency, keeping you informed.
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