Haart Lifts Car Age Policy After Teen's Job Rejection

An 18-year-old woman from Burton Joyce, Nottinghamshire, in the United Kingdom was initially rejected for a trainee lettings negotiator position at the estate agency haart after disclosing that her 2014 Citroën C1 exceeded the company's 10-year vehicle age limit. The decision, revealed through her application last December, sparked public debate on hiring barriers for young job seekers, prompting haart to lift the requirement and invite her for an interview following media attention.

Alanah Thompson French, who works full time at a local coffee shop, had purchased the car for around 2,800 pounds after saving for over a year while holding two café jobs during her A-levels. The vehicle, with low mileage of about 33,000 to 40,000 miles, a full service history, and a valid Ministry of Transport test certificate, was intended to enhance her employability. In her application for the entry-level role in Nottingham, which offers a starting salary of approximately 20,000 pounds, French answered no to a form question about whether her car was under 10 years old. She received an email stating she had not been shortlisted due to the policy.

Haart introduced the vehicle age rule to ensure...