Update: Oxford University to pay professor forced to retire at 68

Oxford University is to pay professor forced to retire at 68 almost £30,000 for injury to feelings. The employment tribunal also ordered Oxford University to reinstate the professor after he won his claims for age discrimination and unfair dismissal.  

The reinstatement was held to be a practicable option as the Claimant would be able to occupy himself with useful work, including work on a project for which he had already secured funding, and other unfunded research and mentoring.

The Tribunal set out the reinstatement for a fixed maximum term which will expire on 30 September 2021. This was the date on which the Claimant had intended to retire from the Respondent before his dismissal. The university was also ordered to pay the Claimant all the salary he would have received had he not been dismissed, plus £29,610 for injury to feelings in relation to the age discrimination.

The university has appealed against the finding of age discrimination, so we anticipate there are further updates to come on the subject of Employer Justified Retirement Ages (“EJRA”).