The Workplace Relations Commission awarded Doreen Nolan €28,000 after finding that Alsaa discriminated against her on age and gender grounds. The decision was dated 3 February 2022.
Nolan said she was required to retire at 65 and was offered a second one-year contract only if she accepted a 19.5% pay cut. Alsaa said its handbook set a retirement age of 65 and that Nolan was treated no less favourably than two other employees given fixed-term contracts after reaching retirement age.
The adjudicator found that Alsaa gave no objective justification for its retirement age or its informal limit on working beyond age 67. She also found gender discrimination because Nolan's second contract carried a pay cut while a male colleague's did not, and Alsaa provided no reason for the difference.
The WRC awarded €14,000 for each ground, stating total compensation of €28,000. Alsaa also undertook at the hearing to pay the amount by which Nolan's final fixed-term contract had been reduced.