A 62-year-old sales manager has settled his age discrimination case against Irwin’s Bakery in Northern Ireland for £75,000.
The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland supported his case, which was settled without admission of liability by his former employer.
Seamus Gillespie, from County Fermanagh, had worked for WD Irwin and Sons since 1991. He alleged he was told in early 2021 that the company was looking to recruit younger professionals with a blue-chip background, believing that the company thought the age profile of its workforce was a problem.
Gillespie alleged he was informed that he would lose some of his accounts when a new business unit controller post was filled. He said this resulted in him losing a significant proportion of his work, feeling that his role had been diminished and that he was vulnerable to any future redundancies.
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In August 2022, Irwin’s informed Gillespie about a project involving changes in distribution, and he believed he should have been privy to relevant discussions because it would affect his work.
The following month, Irwin’s informed Gillespie that his post was at risk of redundancy, placing him in a redundancy pool of one.
During his redundancy meetings, he claimed that management made comments about the need to get some new blood and that the senior management team was all of “one ilk and age”.
He was made redundant and an appeal lodged against the decision was not upheld.
Gillespie said: “I worked for Irwin’s for over 30 years. I enjoyed my job, I was a dedicated, hardworking and loyal employee, with lots of experience. But it was very clear to me, following discussions with management, that my career with the company was over.
“I firmly believed the decision to make me redundant was based solely on my age. I had no choice but to challenge how I was treated. I’m glad my case is now settled, although I would rather that none of this had happened in the first place.”
Geraldine McGahey, chief commissioner for the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, said Gillespie had given 30 years of his working life to Irwin’s Bakery and still had a lot to offer.
“In Northern Ireland, it is unlawful to discriminate against employees because of their age. Older workers have experience, skills and attributes that our economy needs to thrive, they are assets to their employers just like every other employee,” she said.
“It is imperative that employers have robust policies and practices in place to prevent any potential instances of age discrimination and that staff are adequately trained to use them.”
In settling the age discrimination case, Irwin’s Bakery denied any liability. The company, which was established in 1912, reaffirmed its strong commitment to the principle of equality of opportunity in employment. It agreed to liaise with the ECNI to review its policies, practices and procedures and their application to ensure they are effective and conform with the requirements of the Employment Equality Age Regulations (NI) 2006.
An Irwin’s Bakery spokesperson said: “WD Irwin and Sons has always prided itself on its commitment to diversity in the workplace.”
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