Skip to main content

3. How would a person's age co-relate to sex discrimination? Is it unlawful if different age requirements are applied to males and females when they apply for jobs or obtain goods/services?

In case a different age requirement is applied to men and women when they apply for a job, or obtain goods or services (or have dealings in relation to other specified fields), the relevant employer or goods/services provider may have committed sex discrimination.

 

An example can be found in a Court of Appeal case in 2001 ( Helen Tsang v Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd.). In this case, the employer had applied a different retirement age to male flight attendants (who retire at the age of 55) and female flight attendants (who retire at the age of 40). It was held that such policy was contrary to the Sex Discrimination Ordinance. (Note: The above case is only used to help illustrate the answer to the subject question. It does not represent the existing staff retirement policy of the above mentioned company.)