A hairdresser has hit out at Government red tape, claiming she couldn’t advertise for a ‘junior’ stylist because of discrimination laws.
Michelle Hilling, who owns U Salon in Newcastle, phoned Job Centre Plus to place an advert for the role, but says a worker told her the word ‘junior’ discriminated against older people.
Mrs Hilling, who employs 14 staff of all ages at the shop on Gosforth High Street, was furious at being accused of discrimination and says she has to use this term in the advert in order to attract suitable candidates.
The 39-year-old said: ‘I need someone who is nearly qualified but still in training. It doesn’t matter what age they are.
‘I’ve had a 45-year-old junior stylist before. The term has been used for years in hairdressing. I’ve now had to advertise for a stylist when I can’t employ one, and am going to have people applying for a job that doesn’t exist.
‘Junior wasn’t a derogatory word until people started saying that it was.’
A Department of Work and Pensions spokeswoman denied Mrs Hilling was stropped from using the word ‘junior’ in the ad and said Job Centre Plus’s advisers simply give employers advice on wording their ad to attract the most applicants.
A spokesman said: ‘Our advisers will help employers get as many applicants for their jobs as possible.
‘Some people may be put off applying if they think a job is only aimed at young people, so we’ll advise on wording adverts to help businesses get the best person for them.’
Mrs Hilling said: ‘The Jobcentre shouldn’t be interfering in terminology that has been used for years without discriminating against anyone.’
Michelle and husband Darren, who also run U Barbers on Gosforth High Street, last year helped to snare employee Dave Shaftoe, 44, red-handed on CCTV as he pocketed takings from the till. He was fined after pleading guilty to stealing money.
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February 17th, 2010 at 11:01 amDee Blick says:
I despair when I read these stories. As commonsense departs rapidly via the back door, we are greeted at the front door by political correctness gone mad. And who suffers in all of this? Employers having to tread through the onerous and often superfluous minefield of legislation and candidates, applying for a post they are not suited to simply because the description was so vague that they were not able to determine at an earlier stage whether they had the right experience or not.