▁shown ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁" b ona ▁f ide ▁occup ational ▁qual ification ▁[ B FO Q ] ▁reason ably ▁necessary ▁to ▁the ▁normal ▁operation ▁of ▁the ▁particular ▁business " ▁( see ▁). ▁In ▁practice , ▁B FO Q s ▁for ▁age ▁are ▁limited ▁to ▁the ▁obvious ▁( h iring ▁a ▁young ▁actor ▁to ▁play ▁a ▁young ▁character ▁in ▁a ▁movie ) ▁or ▁when ▁public ▁safety ▁is ▁at ▁st ake ▁( for ▁example , ▁in ▁the ▁case ▁of ▁age ▁limits ▁for ▁pil ots ▁and ▁bus ▁drivers ). ▁The ▁A DE A ▁does ▁not ▁stop ▁an ▁employ er ▁from ▁favor ing ▁an ▁older ▁employee ▁over ▁a ▁younger ▁one , ▁even ▁when ▁the ▁younger ▁one ▁is ▁over ▁ 4 0 ▁years ▁old . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁UK , ▁age ▁disc rim ination ▁against ▁older ▁people ▁has ▁been ▁prohib ited ▁in ▁employ ment ▁since ▁ 2 0 0 6 . ▁Further ▁ref in ements ▁to ▁anti - dis c rim ination ▁laws ▁occurred ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁ ▁Age ▁disc rim ination ▁in ▁h iring ▁has ▁been ▁shown ▁to ▁exist ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁The ▁Equ al ▁Emp loyment ▁O pport unity ▁Commission ' s ▁first ▁comp lain ants ▁were ▁female ▁flight ▁attend ants ▁compla ining ▁of ▁( am ong ▁other ▁matters ) ▁age ▁disc rim ination . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 8 , ▁the ▁E E OC ▁declared ▁age ▁restrictions ▁on ▁flight ▁attend ants ' ▁employ ment ▁to ▁be ▁illegal ▁sex ▁disc rim ination ▁under ▁Title ▁VII ▁of ▁the ▁Civil