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Employment Equality (Age) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006

You can view the Regulations on the Office of the Public Sector website

The amendment Regulations are available on the Office of the Public Sector website

Access the accompanying press release of 2 October 2006

The Employment Equality (Age) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland 2006 (SR No. 453) make a number of amendments to Schedule 1 to the Age Regulations (provisions relating to occupational pensions) that come into operation on 1 December 2006. The Amendment No2 Regulations are available on the Office of the Public Sector website

The amendments provide clarification of the existing exemptions in Schedule 1 to the Age Regulations.  They also add further specific exemptions to the Schedule so that employers can rely upon these exemptions to continue to include certain age-related rules and practices in their occupational pension schemes.  A press release accompanying the making of the amendment No2 Regulations is available on the Department for Social Development website.  Access the announcement of new age-discrimination pension rules press release of 13 November 2006

• prohibit age discrimination in terms of recruitment, promotion and training;
• set a default retirement age of 65.  Retirement ages below the default retirement age will need to be objectively justified or changed;
• introduce a new right for employee to request working beyond retirement age and a duty on employers to consider that request;
• introduce a new requirement on employers to give at least 6 months notice to employees about their intended retirement date;
• allow pay and non-pay benefits to continue which depend on length of service requirements of 5 years or less or which recognise and reward loyalty and experience;
• provide exemptions for many age-based rules in occupational pension schemes; and
• remove the upper age limit for unfair dismissal and redundancy rights, giving older workers the same rights to claim unfair dismissal or receive a redundancy payment as younger workers.

The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland has produced guidance on the new age discrimination legislation.  Age Discrimination in Northern Ireland - A Guide for Employers outlines their duties and how to ensure they comply with the law and Age Discrimination in Northern Ireland - A Guide for Workers and Employees outlines their rights.  

• Employment Equality (Age) Relations Northern Ireland 2006 Fact Sheet No. 1 - An overview (PDF 40.99 KB, 4 pages)
• Employment Equality (Age) Relations Northern Ireland 2006 Fact Sheet No. 2 - Objective justification (PDF29.35 KB, 2 pages)
• Employment Equality (Age) Relations Northern Ireland 2006 Fact Sheet No. 3 - Transitional arrangements (PDF37.76 KB, 3 pages)
• Employment Equality (Age) Relations Northern Ireland 2006 Fact Sheet No. 4 - Vocational training (PDF37.58 KB, 3 pages)
• Employment Equality (Age) Relations Northern Ireland 2006 Fact Sheet No. 5 - Service-related benefits (PDF27.23 KB, 2 pages)
• Employment Equality (Age) Relations Northern Ireland 2006 Fact Sheet No. 6 - Redundancy and national minimum wage (PDF40.02 KB, 4 pages)
• Employment Equality (Age) Relations Northern Ireland 2006 Fact Sheet No. 7 - Retirement (PDF39.58 KB, 3 pages)
• Employment Equality (Age) Relations Northern Ireland 2006 Fact Sheet No. 8 - Occupational pensions (PDF30.45 KB, 3 pages)