CIPD: Small businesses need to abide by age laws

Small business owners should have a "better understanding" of age discrimination laws, according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

Freda Line, CIPD diversity officer, says small business owners must make sure they do not use age as a reason for firing people.

"Awareness within smaller organisations of the strength of the age discrimination regulations is comparatively low," she comments.

Ms Line says that smaller organisations can often be "careless" because they can lack the personnel expertise and HR support that larger companies enjoy.

"We've already seen some pretty interesting employment tribunals using the age discrimination regulations and this is where small businesses have to be extremely careful," she adds.

According to government statistics, a majority of men and women remain in employment after the age of 50.

Figures also reveal that self-employment is more common in over 50s than in younger workers.