The WRC awarded a receptionist €25,000 after finding that a packaging company discriminated against her by retiring her at 66 without objectively justifying the age limit. The decision was dated 4 October 2017.
The receptionist said her original contract contained no retirement age and that the company had not given her the handbook it relied on for its retirement policy. The company did not attend the hearing. The adjudication officer accepted her evidence that she objected to retirement and had asked for the handbook but did not receive it.
The officer found the company had not secured her informed consent to add a retirement age to her contract and that retirement at 66 was not justified by a legitimate aim. The award was approximately one year’s salary. The officer also criticised the company’s handling of her solicitor’s letter.