Too old at 42

A successful claim of age discrimination has been made by a 42 year old employee made redundant by the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce.

An employment tribunal has ruled that the bank discriminated against him when the criteria for a new marketing executive included the phrase ‘younger, entrepreneurial profile’ in an internal memo that was part of a restructuring exercise. The redundant worker had been paid about £900,000 pa but had been with the company for less than a year when he was replaced by a 38 year old.

The Tribunal accepted that CIBC considered hiring other workers older than the claimant, but failed to adequately prove that age was not a factor in his dismissal.

Compensation for age discrimination is unlimited and the award is yet to be decided.