South China Morning Post
8 January 2015
More than one in three employed people in Hong Kong have experienced some form of age discrimination in the last five years, a survey by the equality watchdog has found, prompting a call for legislation to ensure better protection.
The Equal Opportunities Commission said the survey had shown clearly there was sufficient support for the government to draft age discrimination legislation, as 70 per cent of respondents were “supportive” or “very supportive”.
“When it comes to legislation, the government always considers whether there is enough support from the public and lawmakers. Our survey has shown that 70 per cent of employed people in Hong Kong are supportive. That’s not a small number,” said Dr Ferrick Chu Chung-man, the watchdog’s director of policy, research and training.
The telephone survey of 401 employed people aged 15 or above was completed in November 2014 followed by additional in-depth interviews with bosses, employees and lawmakers last year...
Puja Kapai, an associate professor of law at the University of Hong Kong, said age discrimination was widespread in Hong Kong and warranted “urgent attention”.
“In theory, employers are free to make decisions taking age into consideration and this would not necessarily be unlawful,” she said.
She added: “It may still be a prohibition the court may be willing to recognise if a claim is brought in an appropriate case relying on the equality articles in the Basic Law or the Hong Kong Bill of Rights Ordinance.” Click here to read the full article.
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