You do not have to recruit a 17-year old for a job dealing with customers if you have satisfied yourself (and can if necessary prove it) that someone else can do the job better. But the mere fact that a 17-year old is only 17 is now insufficient as a reason for refusing to consider them for the job. For example, a 19-year old has won an age discrimination claim after convincing an employment tribunal that her employer, a London membership club, had dismissed her for being too young.
