Perhaps not, but a UK insurance firm isn’t taking any chances. With new laws in place prohibiting age discrimination and age harassment, Alan & Thomas insurance brokers has barred the circulation of birthday cards signed by the entire staff, who occasionally write jokey statements about the perils of aging.
Julian Boughton, the firm’s managing director, said: “The new rules outlawing age discrimination are a potential minefield for both employers and employees. Every business should be taking action. Often employees don’t realise the implications of what they are writing.”
A member of staff said: “I think it’s stupid really. People like to joke about other people getting older, and it’s only a bit of fun.”
The Employment Equality (Age) regulations 2006 came into force on Oct 1, prohibiting direct or indirect harassment or victimisation on the grounds of age.
Neil Gouldson, an employment law specialist at the Manchester-based firm Rowe Cohen, said: “Gags in birthday cards about people being ‘over the hill’ will need to be curbed.”
(Richard Savill, “Firm halts office cards for fear of ‘ageist’ comments”, Telegraph (UK), Oct. 12) (h/t F.R.).
One Comment
I’ve seen a few attorneys attempt to use birthday cards and events that occured at birthday parties held at work in age discrimination lawsuits.
The judge I work for did not let them into evidence because there was no evidence that the employer/supervisor bought the “humorous” card, initiated the parties, or made the comments. Obviously, an age harassment case would be different.