Responding to allegations of age discrimination in promotions

One of my clients once faced a challenging situation: an employee had raised a formal complaint, alleging that their age had unfairly influenced a recent promotion decision. The employee felt overlooked in favour of a younger colleague and believed their experience had been disregarded.

This kind of allegation is serious—not only because of the legal risks but because of the impact on trust and team morale. Here’s how we worked through it together, step by step.

Step 1: Handle the Complaint with Care

The first priority was to treat the matter confidentially and seriously. The HR manager arranged a private, supportive meeting with the employee to understand their concerns in full. Every detail was documented, and the

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