An Post is to pay €18,000 compensation to a 68-year-old former post woman after withdrawing its appeal to the Labour Court against a ruling by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).
The WRC ruled in favour of the woman concluding that she had been discriminated against by An Post on the grounds of age when it terminated her employment in 2018.
The woman worked as a Postal Operative sorting and delivering post for 21 years.
On reaching retirement age of 66 in April 2018, at her request, the woman was granted a one-year contract extension on a month-by-month basis.
The woman stated that there was no issue about her work, and she was very efficient and capable.
She stated that An Post was a great place to work.
However, at the end of August 2018, An Post told the woman was that her contract was to be terminated with one month's notice.
Welcome decision
In response to An Post's decision to withdraw its appeal, the woman said today: “To receive the justice that is deserved is a great feeling, but it has been a long and arduous path to get here.”
She said: “I loved my job and the people I worked with. However, I consistently deemed the treatment I received from An Post regarding my retirement to be unjust and discriminatory based on my age.
“I sincerely hope after this lengthy battle that An Post will ensure no staff member will have to endure this prejudice and that they will be provided with the opportunity to retire with dignity and pride.”
At the WRC, An Post denied discrimination against the post-woman on the grounds of age.
The woman was represented by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) in the Labour Court and its Chief Commissioner, Sinéad Gibney, welcomed the ruling.
“Our published guidelines clarify practical issues that arise from granting fixed-term contracts to employees who are over the compulsory retirement age, and explain how these issues may be addressed by both employers and employee,” she said.
In its submission to the Labour Court, the IHREC argued that although furnishing a fixed term contract to an employee who has reached the mandatory retirement age is permitted under the Employment Equality Acts, if objectively justified, the EEA does not permit differences in treatment on the grounds of age in the terms of the fixed term contract.
