Now it’s against the law for potential employers to ask applicants about their age

The Danish discrimination act (forskelsbehandlingsloven) has been amended, and it’s now against the law for potential employers to ask for information about the age of applicants in connection with job applications. The new rules will be implemented in practice at at Aarhus University from 15 June 2022.

Photo: Lars Kruse

A broad parliamentary majority has just approved the amendment, under which it’s illegal for employers to ask about applicants’ age when recruiting new employees. The law will enter into force on 1 July 2022. The new rules are the result of an amendment to the Danish discrimination act, and are intended to prevent employers from disqualifying applicants for positions because of their age.

What this means in practice is that employers may no longer request information about job applicants’ age in connection with submission (regardless of the manner of submission) of job applications. As a consequence, AU’s recruitment system will now be adjusted.

The change will be implemented at AU from 15 June, about two weeks before the law comes into force nationally. The reason for this is to ensure that the change is properly implemented in the recruitment system and to make it possible for HR supporter to answer any questions about the new law before the summer holiday.  

Read more about the amendment in pressemeddelelse fra Beskæftigelsesministeriet (in Danish)

What consequences will the amendment have at AU?

What the amendment will mean for AU is that:

  • The recruitment system will be adjusted: the field in which applicants formerly indicated their date of birth will be removed.
  • The age of applicants will no longer be included in recruitment statistics.
  • HR staff will retrieve information about the age of successful candidates for positions at AU manually in connection with their registration as staff (Stamkortet/the employee data registry).

In addition, HR will now focus on informing relevant managers and staff about these changes.

Any questions?

If you have any questions about the amendment and its implementation, contact your HR supporter or Ana Maria Sønderskov Clausen, system manager of AU’s recruitment system Emply Hire, at amsc@au.dk.