Know your rights: Auditions and disclosing your age
Members have alerted MEAA Equity that audition applications often require an auditionee to either disclose their exact age or their date-of-birth.
MEAA Equity is concerned that disclosing age information can leave members vulnerable to discrimination by potential employers.
It is unlawful in Victoria for an employer to ask an employee or a prospective employee for personal information (including their age) when that information can be used by the employer to form the basis of discrimination against them.
It is therefore unlawful for a company to ask an auditionee to disclose their age if such information is irrelevant to the job, or is not required for health and safety or other regulatory obligations (such as for child actors).
Other states do not specifically prohibit employers from asking about the age of a job applicant. However, employers in all states and territories are prohibited under other anti-discrimination legislation from treating potential employees differently because of their age.
MEAA Equity has informed the Casting Guild of Australia that employers are asking auditionees to disclose their age. The CGA has agreed to ask their members to only ask for an auditionee to disclose their age or DOB if they are under 18 years old.
If members are asked to disclose their age as part of an audition, please notify MEAA Equity so that we can inform them of their obligations under anti-discrimination legislation. MEAA Equity otherwise suggests that members input the date of their application if asked for their date of birth.
