Despite legal protections against age discrimination and record-high job vacancies, a significant number of Australian organizations are reluctant to recruit potential employees over the age of 50, a new survey revealed. 

Nearly one-fifth, or 18%, of Australian HR professionals expressed a complete reluctance or only a limited willingness to actively recruit workers between 50 and 64 years of age, according to a report released on Tuesday by the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), in partnership with the Australian HR Institute (AHRI).

AHRI Chief Executive Officer, Sarah McCann-Bartlet described the findings as “disappointing”, saying in a statement that “organisations are doing themselves a disservice  by not considering older workers – particularly at a time when Australia is experiencing historically high levels of job vacancies.”

The response of Australian organisations in recruiting older persons demonstrate a breach of Australia’s Age Discrimination Act 2004 (Cth) which, per section 3(a),  aims “to eliminate, as far as possible, discrimination against persons on the grounds of age in the areas of work.”