The Survey of Employment Practices, 2004-2005 (SEP) was carried out by BMRB Social Research, in conjunction with NIESR, on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). The study was designed to establish, prior to the implementation of the draft Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006, the extent to which current employment policies and practices accord with equal opportunity with respect to age. The survey provides a baseline for judging the effects of the forthcoming legislation, allowing changes in employers' policies and attitudes to be tracked over time by future surveys. Topics covered in the questionnaire included organisational background, non-pay benefits, retirement policy, performance appraisal, redundancy, working time and flexibility, equal opportunities policies, largest occupational group, recruitment, promotion, training, pay, attitudes to age and work, and awareness of legislation.