"They're an important part of the IT workforce and I'd be surprised to see any discrimination against them."

Burley says discussing employment law with clients to avoid situations where discrimination might occur is part of the process of working with them.

The idea that older employees should step aside for younger ones is "disingenuous and naive", he says, because with skills shortages in many areas of IT, "New Zealand isn't in a position to be discriminating on an age basis."