Analysis of key international cases

A German law restricting the minimum periods of notice for those aged under 25 was found to be discriminatory and unjustified. The ECJ also gave further definition to the ruling in Mangold -v- Helm.

The ECJ has given their judgement on a German law restricting applications to the fire service to those under 30.

The ECJ has given their judgement on a German law setting a maximum age limit of 68 for dentists to be accredited to work in the German national health service.

The Advocate General has given an opinion that a German law setting down minimum periods of notice, but which excludes all time worked before the age of 25, is incompatible with EU law.

The Advocate-General has given an opinion on a German law restricting applications to the fire service to those under 30.

The ECJ rule that an Austrian law which mandated lower pay for younger civil servants not proportionate and therefore not justified under the Framework Directive.

German survivor's pension claim rejected

The European Court of Justice has decided that national laws on compulsory retirement at a particular age must be justified in order to be lawful.

The EU directive covering age discrimination cannot be relied on to challenge a domestic law where the act complained of pre-dated the deadline for implementing the directive and the measure attacked was not introduced to implement an EU law.

In general, employers do not need specifically to justify using length of service to calculate pay, according to the ECJ in Cadman v Health and Safety Executive.