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The default retirement age (DRA) will be scrapped on 1 October 2011 under proposals just announced by the Government.

The new plans allow for a six-month transition from the existing Regulations, following the announcement in the Budget that the DRA would be phased out from April 2011. Currently employers can force staff to retire at the age of 65 regardless of their circumstances.

The proposals state that from 6 April 2011, employers will not be able to issue any notifications for compulsory retirement using the DRA procedure. Between 6 April and 1 October, only people who were notified before 6 April, and whose retirement date is before 1 October can be compulsorily retired.

After 1 October, employers will not be able to use the DRA to compulsorily retire employees; if they wish to use retirement ages they will have to be able to demonstrate that these are objectively justified. Examples could include air traffic controllers and police officers.

The consultation also proposes to help employers by removing the administrative burden of statutory retirement procedures. With the DRA removed there is no reason to keep employees' right to request to work beyond retirement or for employers to give them a minimum of six months' notice of retirement.

Employment relations minister Edward Davey said: 'With more and more people wanting to extend their working lives we should not stop them just because they have reached a particular age. We want to give individuals greater choice and are moving swiftly to end discrimination of this kind.

'We are committed to ensuring employers are given help and support in adapting to the change in Regulations, and this consultation asks what kinds of support are required.'

Rachel Krys, campaign director at the Employers Forum on Age, said: 'This is an incredible leap forward in employment practices and great news for individuals. Employers have nothing to fear from this change. This is an outdated policy and the removal of forced retirement is an opportunity to put policies and processes in place which make the most of an age diverse workforce.'

The consultation is open from 29 June until 21 October 2010

The full consultation document can be viewed at http://www.bis.gov.uk/retirement-age

Regulations introduced by the Labour government for extended paternity leave for fathers could be shelved and rewritten by the coalition.

The Additional Paternity Leave Regulations 2010, which were made just three weeks before parliament was dissolved for the general election, give fathers of babies due on or after 3 April 2011 the right to take up to 6 months' paternity leave, in addition to their existing two week entitlement.

However, the coalition promised a new system of flexible parental leave in their programme for government and it is thought that ministers are preparing to scrap the incoming changes in order to develop their own more far-reaching proposals.

More older workers are likely to find an invisible wall of ageism between them and a new job, resulting in greater numbers being stuck in long-term unemployment, Age UK has warned.

Figures published by the Department of Communities and Local Government as part of the Citizenship Survey: 2009-10 show ageism is still the biggest single reason for discrimination in recruitment. Four per cent of all workers aged 50 and over - estimated to be in excess of 300,000 - say they have been refused a job because of their age in the past five years.

These findings come as the number of older workers looking for a job is set to rise as a result of shifting incapacity benefit claimants onto employment support allowance. Age UK has estimated that this move could lead to more than 750,000 older workers returning to the job market within the next four years.

Michelle Mitchell, Age UK director, said: "The spreading perception of ageism in recruitment shows that, for older workers, the job market is still not fit for purpose.

"As more mature workers are pushed into the recruitment arena by the reassessment of welfare-to-work benefits, hundreds of thousands of them will risk coming up against the invisible wall of ageism."

Chris Ball, chief executive of TAEN - The Age and Employment Network, added: "Given that the coalition Government has committed to speeding up the rise in the state pension age, working longer will become a necessity for more and more people.

"Employers of all shapes and sizes need to urgently wake up to the fact that people will need to work longer and make sure that their recruitment policies are fair. Extending working lives will not succeed without this overdue shift in culture."

Police forces could save up to £1 billion per year through efficiencies, but any greater spending cuts will harm front-line services, a new report has found.

A total redesign of how the officers work, including a change in shift patterns and the merger of HR departments – could save 12 per cent in the £13.7 billion police service budget, said Sir Denis O'Connor, the Chief Inspector of Constabulary.

But spending cuts of 25 per cent, as outlined in the chancellorÂ's emergency budget last month, would almost certainly reduce police availability, according to the joint report by the Audit Commission, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Wales Audit Office.

The report identified areas where the £1 billion in savings could realistically be made. These included merging HR functions and the better use of civilian staff to replace some of the 200 warranted officers who currently work in HR departments.

The report also advocated a reorganisation of shift patterns that were resulting in police shortages at weekends. Re-examining the annual leave system was also recommended.

Although police spending was almost 50 per cent higher in the last financial year than in 1997, the number of officers on the beat has fallen by 1,500 in the past four years.

OÂ'Connor said the savings were possible but wonÂ't be easy to find, and that police chiefs faced hard choices. However, he also warned that a third of the 43 forces in England and Wales were ill-prepared to make the necessary efficiencies.

British Airways is being taken to employment tribunal by cabin crew claiming racial discrimination.

The group of BA flight attendants claim that the removal of a discounted travel perk from staff involved in strike action discriminates indirectly against employees based in Scotland, Ireland and mainland Europe who use the scheme to commute to and from Heathrow airport.

BA said it totally rejected the claim of discrimination and would defend any claim vigorously.

A dispute over pay, jobs and working conditions has so far resulted in 22 days of strikes since March.

The Equality Act 2010 will have a big impact on day-to-day working life for people with disabilities.

The key changes to the law include:

The new definition of direct discrimination, which is wide enough to cover discrimination by association.

The Act introduces a new form of disability discrimination that is discrimination “arising from” a disability.

Under that old DDA, impairment was taken as having such an effect only if it affected one of eight capacities. This list is removed under the Equality Act, leaving tribunals to make a common-sense decision about whether or not a particular impairment has a substantial adverse effect on day-to-day activities.

It will be unlawful for an employer to ask about the health of a job applicant before offering work to, or shortlisting, the applicant.

Employers are being urged to withdraw pre-employment health questionnaires ahead of the introduction of the Equality Act or risk falling foul of the law.

The warning follows a poll by law firm Pannone which revealed that two-thirds of employers ask candidates pre-employment health questions as a matter of course.

The survey of more than 100 HR directors and senior managers also found that half requested that candidates fill in health questionnaires before a formal job offer is made. In addition, 18% said they only asked questions that were specific to the particular role, while 82% asked generic questions.

The Equality Act, which comes into force in October, will prohibit employers from asking candidates pre-employment health questions other than in limited circumstances, one of which is to check a candidate can perform an "intrinsic function" of the job, for example heavy lifting.

Earlier in July, the Government confirmed that the first wave of the Act will be implemented in October, including the abolition of pre-employment health questions, a provision designed to reduce disability discrimination in the recruitment process. Employers will only be able to ask health questions upon job offer.

It is essential that employers urgently review any pre-employment questions and, unless they are job specific or otherwise exempt, withdraw them before the Equality Act comes into force.

New rules that apply to the parents of children born on or after 3rd April 2011 came into force earlier this year. What this means is that HR departments must think about policy and procedure changes that will apply after that date, and that children conceived around now will be subject to the new rules.

Xpert HR have produced an excellent resource which takes the form of Q's and A's and can be found at

http://www.xperthr.co.uk/article/103712/outlook-video--additional-paternity-leave.aspx

We at Equality Matters have published new guidance to help staff prepare for the Equality Act, which is due to come into force in October.

The guide – Making Difference Normal - The Equality Act 2010 – explains how the new law will affect employers and employees.

The 56 page booklet is available now for 9.99 pounds + 1.25pounds p and p. from our office or ordered via info@equality-matters.co.uk

The coalition government has pledged to implement the Equality Act in October, but has refused to outline its intentions for gender pay gap reporting.

Home Secretary Theresa May said the Equality Act, passed in April, will make it easier for firms to comply with anti-discrimination rules.

But the government has stopped short of forcing employers to reveal how much they pay men compared with women, as had been planned by the previous government.

The Conservatives previously said they would only support the forcing of firms to report their pay gaps if they were found to be discriminating at an employment tribunal.

The Government Equalities Office said: "We are thinking about what our next steps on equal pay should be and will make an announcement in due course."

The Home Secretary insisted the Act demonstrates the coalition government's commitment to equality.

"By making the law easier to understand, the Equality Act will help businesses treat staff fairly and meet the needs of a diverse customer base," she said.

"The law will be easier to understand and better able to protect people from discrimination.

"A successful economy needs the full participation of all its citizens and we are committed to implementing the Act in the best way for business."

Trevor Phillips, chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, welcomed the speed with which the government had moved to implement the legislation.

The European Union have issued the following information which may be of interest during 2010. This is part of the ongoing 'FOR DIVERSITY - AGAINST DISCRIMINATION' campaign, which this company is proud to have had an association with for some time. The dates for your diaries are:-

8th March. International WomenÂ's Day

21st March. International Day for elimination of racial discrimination

8th April. International Roma Day

9th May. Europe Day

17th May. International Day against homophobia and transphobia

12th August. International Youth Day

1st October. International Day for older persons

17th October. International Day for the eradication of poverty

3rd December. International Day for persons with disabilities

10th December. International Human Rights Day.

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