Another one bites the dust

This is a truly historic day in the history of the development of age discrimination legislation. The Default Retirement Age has bitten the dust. Workers of all ages will now enjoy the same protection and will be managed in exactly the same way (well almost – life is never quite that simple!)

What is a little surprising is the speed with which it was all rushed through in the end. We knew something was on the cards and then suddenly we wake up this morning to Ed Davey the Minster responsible, speaking to the Today programme and making the announcement. Those of us sufficiently awake to notice, it then rushed to the Government’s website to find their formal response to the consultation on abolition on the DRA. And guess what, it says they have accepted it would be advisable to put out guidance for employers in managing the retirement process in the new era. We then rush immediately to the ACAS website and again guess what, we find their guidance is published on that as well.

Me thinks a lot of late night oil has been burned getting that right. Nothing to do with the tricky business of bankers bonuses and the need to focus attention elsewhere, I am sure...