Ageism in British business is alive and thriving.

A new study into discrimination from the Employers Forum on Age and the Institute of Qualified Private Secretaries reveals widespread ageism against secretaries.

A staggering 94 per cent of respondents agreed there is a problem and one in three secretaries said they had been rejected for jobs because of their age.

Nine out of ten believe they stand little chance of getting a new job once they are over 45. And more than 60 per cent do not consider their level of skills an issue when applying for jobs.

The report asked IQPS members about their experience of ageism in employment and it found it affected secretaries of all ages.

More than half of the secretaries who have experienced age discrimination say it was because they were considered too old.

"I was too experienced and too old. I was a lot older than the manager," said one woman.

The survey also found that more than a third of those who had taken career breaks, usually for family or other caring responsibilities, experienced difficulty in returning to work because of their age.

A third of those who have experienced age discrimination say they were thought to be too young.

Jackie Grant, IQPS national chairman, says: "In the current climate where competitive advantage depends primarily on the knowledge and skills of the workforce, employers are missing out by rejecting competent secretaries because they are seen as too old or too young."

Helen Garner, campaign director of the EFA, said: "It is outrageous that so many skilled and experienced secretaries believe that 45 is the end of their careers.

"Having battled for recognition when starting out, secretaries are then faced with the prospect of a brick wall in their 40s."

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