The prohibition of age discrimination: a "cultural revolution"?

The prohibition of discrimination on grounds of age constitutes a “cultural revolution” for the French society. Employers and public authorities, accustomed to relying upon age criteria to articulate their employment and policy choices for years, now have to modify their approach. What is the specificity of “age” by comparison with other “suspect” criteria? How does French law tackle this type of discrimination? Who is better placed to decide on the legitimacy of differences of treatment on grounds of age?In this working paper, Elise Muir provides a legal analysis of the issues raised by the fight against discrimination on grounds of age in employment, as identified in the round table that took place at the Fondation on November 19.