The Association of Graduate Recruiters has recommended that its members do not attend the annual university milk rounds, as they risk being in breach of the new age discrimination legislation.

In its report, Age Discrimination and Recruitment, it warns that university milk rounds target current undergraduates, who tend to be disproportionately from a young age group. It tends to ignore graduates who have pursued a previous career option before wanting to change course.

The report, complied by Andrew Brown, employment law partner Herbert Smith, advised: "Where potentially discriminatory recruitment methods are used, you should consider applications from other sources. Recruitment drives targeted at Open University students are an obvious step to take."

The report suggests that records of the decisions made in the recruitment process should be kept for 12 months and that recruiters offer flexible benefits to meet the needs of all applicants.

It also advises that the recruiters keep records of who has been trained as evidence that reasonable steps were taken to prevent discrimination, and to monitor age groups for applicants to see whether there are any issues which need to be addressed.

Carl Gilleard, chief executive of the AGR, said: "Most of our members will already have practices in place that are not discriminatory and have policies that encourage diversity. But there are always complications when new legislation comes into force and this guide provides advice to ensure they are not putting their organisations at unnecessary risk of legal action," he added.