Dunnes Stores settles age discrimination claim by former security manager

As reported here on the BBC News website and here in the Belfast Telegraph, a Northern Ireland woman who claimed that Dunnes Stores discriminated against her because of her age has been awarded £40,000 in settlement. Gloria Dunbar had worked as a security manager for Dunnes (Bangor Ltd) since 2005. Ms Dunbar had 23 years’ experience working in security roles in various stores. After turning 60, she was placed on a series of fixed term renewable contracts with the store until 2014 (when she was 63) at which point her contract was terminated. Crucially these fixed term contracts were not imposed on other security and other managers in the company (all apparently younger than her).

Ms Dunbar brought her claim with the support of the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland who described her case as raising issues about the treatment of older workers as they approach or pass what used to be regarded as ‘retirement age’.

In settling the case, Dunnes Stores (Bangor) Ltd is reported as saying that it did not accept that it had breached equality legislation but has agreed to liaise with the Equality Commission over policies, practices, training and procedures on equality of opportunity and, in particular, on age discrimination.