Hi All

2 people work in my office. Alison does a better job than Bert (in
quantity and quality) - but gets paid 50% less. The boss came in last
week and said "Alison you do a better job than Bert but the only
reason we, the Directors, pay you less is because you are only 17"

If he had said the reason was Sex, race, sexuality, disability,
religion it would have been illegal and discrimination.

Is it still legal in the UK to pay Alison alot less than Bert because
she is 'just' 17?

On Thu, 27 Sep 2007 11:34:36 -0700, davidwood999 wrote:

> Hi All
> 
> 2 people work in my office. Alison does a better job than Bert (in
> quantity and quality) - but gets paid 50% less. The boss came in last
> week and said "Alison you do a better job than Bert but the only reason
> we, the Directors, pay you less is because you are only 17"
> 
> If he had said the reason was Sex, race, sexuality, disability, religion
> it would have been illegal and discrimination.
> 
> Is it still legal in the UK to pay Alison alot less than Bert because
> she is 'just' 17?

No.

http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1046

On Thu, 27 Sep 2007 20:05:40 GMT, Robin T Cox  wrote:

> On Thu, 27 Sep 2007 11:34:36 -0700, davidwood999 wrote:
>
>> Hi All
>>
>> 2 people work in my office. Alison does a better job than Bert (in
>> quantity and quality) - but gets paid 50% less. The boss came in last
>> week and said "Alison you do a better job than Bert but the only reason
>> we, the Directors, pay you less is because you are only 17"
>>
>> If he had said the reason was Sex, race, sexuality, disability, religion
>> it would have been illegal and discrimination.
>>
>> Is it still legal in the UK to pay Alison alot less than Bert because
>> she is 'just' 17?
>
> No.

Under the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 age discrimination is
permitted where any employer relies on the National Minimum Wage for young
people.

The National Minimum Wage is split into three different rates depending on
the age of the worker and it is lawful for employers to pay workers
different rates according to their age as long as the age bands mirror
those of the minimum wage (16-17 year olds, 18-22 year olds and adult
rate), and the younger workers are paid less than the adult rate of the
minimum wage.  It does not allow employers to pay different rates to those
within the same age category.

Tony