Former Irwin's bakery worker receives £75k in age discrimination case

A County Fermanagh man has received £75,000 after his former employer settled an age discrimination case.

Seamus Gillespie, 62, worked for WD Irwin and Sons bakery from 1991 until he was made redundant in August 2022.

The case, supported by the Equality Commission, was settled without admission of liability by the company.

WD Irwin and Sons said it was strongly committed to equality and prided itself on its commitment to diversity in the workplace.

Mr Gillespie alleged he was told the company was looking for younger people from a blue-chip background in terms of future recruitment.

He believed the company thought the age of staff within the business was problematic.

"I knew that was leaving my position vulnerable," Mr Gillespie told BBC News NI.

The former sales manager further alleged that he was told he would lose certain accounts when the vacant position of business unit controller was filled.

This, he believed, led to a significant reduction in his workload, diminishing his role and leaving him vulnerable to potential future redundancy.

'It was very clear to me'

In August 2022, Mr Gillespie was informed of a project involving changes in distribution.

He believed he should have been included in relevant discussions because it impacted on his work.

The following month, Mr Gillespie was informed his position was at risk of redundancy, with him being the sole member of the redundancy pool.

• Calls for change in NI age discrimination laws

During subsequent redundancy meetings, he alleged comments were made about the necessity of injecting "new blood" into the business and concerns were raised about the uniform age profile within the senior management team.

Despite his appeal, Mr Gillespie was ultimately made redundant.

"I was very happy working in the company. I loved what I was doing. I certainly had no plans to retire," he said.

"It was just devastating. All of a sudden that you didn't have an income, security. You didn't have any basic hope for the future.

"I worked for Irwins 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."

Seamus Gillespie worked for WD Irwin and Sons Ltd for more than 30 years

"I'm glad my case is now settled, although I would rather that none of this had happened in the first place," he added.

"People of an age have a lot of experience and they can make very good decisions and be great mentors to people coming into the business."

Chief commissioner Geraldine McGahey said Mr Gillespie "still had a lot to offer" his former employer.

"Seamus gave 30 years of his working life to Irwin's bakery. He felt that his age was a problem for his employer and believes that was why he was made redundant," she said.

Employers must ensure they have practices in place to prevent potential discrimination, says Geraldine McGahey of the Equality Commission

"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.

"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 setting the case without admission, WD Irwin and Sons Ltd denied any liability.

It reaffirmed its "strong commitment to the principle of equality" and agreed to liaise with the commission to review policies, practices and procedures - an outcome that Mr Gillespie said he was "heartened" to hear.

"WD Irwin & Sons has always prided itself on its commitment to diversity in the workplace," a spokesperson said.