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Resolved complaint (118) about age discrimination in employment

Learn how a complaint (118) about age discrimination in employment was resolved through conciliation.

Older people’s rights Conciliation register entry

Summary

  • Year: 2024
  • Relevant Act: Age Discrimination Act
  • Grounds: Age
  • Area(s): Employment
  • Settlement terms:
    • Compensation

About the complaint

The complainant is 42 years of age and applied for a job with the respondent recruitment agency. He alleged he was asked his age and informed the agency was recruiting applicants aged 20 to 35 years of age. The complainant said he was offered an interview after raising concerns about this practice. He said the same time slot was allocated for three applicants and he left after waiting for over an hour without being invited into an interview room.

The agency said it recruits applicants based on merit and not age, noting it recently hired someone over the age of 60. The agency said it has policies in place to prevent discrimination and these are regularly reviewed.

The complaint was resolved with an agreement that the agency compensate the complainant for the cost of preparing for the interview.

Guidance on the use of these summaries

This is a summary of a selected complaint that has been resolved through our conciliation process. It's designed to help people better understand how complaints might be resolved and what outcomes are possible.

These summaries are for general guidance only and are not legal advice. If you need advice about your situation, you should seek independent legal support.

Please note:

  • all complaints are de-identified
  • complaints are resolved on a 'without admission of liability' basis
  • some content may include confronting or offensive language.

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