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Valerie Cox Valerie Cox via Twitter

'I was devastated': Former reporter on RTÉ ending her freelance contract on age grounds

RTÉ has been ordered by the Workplace Relations Commission to pay Valerie Cox €50,000.

FORMER RTÉ REPORTER Valerie Cox has said she was devastated that the broadcaster ended her freelance contract when she turned 65.

The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) has ordered RTÉ to pay her €50,000 over discrimination against her age.

During her time at the national broadcaster, Cox had two separate contracts. Her full-time contract of direct employment ended in March 2016 when Cox turned 65.

A second contract, which began in 2003, was a casual freelance contract to present ‘It Says In The Papers’, for which she was paid a daily rate.

The decision by the WRC was first reported last night by RTÉ’s Industry and Employment Correspondent Ingrid Miley.

Cox – who is best known for her work on Today with Sean O’Rourke – told the WRC that in March, 2016, after her full-time contract ended, she was informed that she’d be placed on the roster for her casual contract  but that “a period of time would have to elapse” after her retirement.

Speaking to her former colleague Sean O’Rourke today, Cox outlined what happened in the months following her 65th birthday.

I had a contract to do What It Says in the Papers. This contract was still live, there was no reference in it to retiring at any specific age.
I assumed I would be continuing that after I retired from the main job, which did have the statutory 65.

“I kept contacting the organisation after I left, I was actually on the roster for the month after I left. That was taken off and I was told I have to wait for a while, there has to be a little break between you leaving the main job and coming back again for the freelance,” she said.

Cox said that months went by and she continued to email and call to query about returning to her freelance position.

After nine months, she said she finally spoke to someone who informed her that she would not be allowed return to work with RTÉ and that “it is on age grounds”.

I was absolutely devastated, Sean, because I knew a lot of people wanted to leave at 65 but I didn’t and I loved that job.

“The worst bit about it is, one day you’re out there, you’re working as a reporter and covering anything you’re sent to, be it a murder, a fire, anything at all and 24 hours later you have a birthday, you’re a year older and you’re told you’re not good enough anymore,” Cox said.

I felt so bad about that. I like work, I wanted to work, but that really wasn’t the issue. It was the fact that once I turned 65 I was just regarded as useless and wasn’t wanted anymore.
All I ever wanted was to go back on the papers. There was no need for all this fuss, really. I was quite surprised we had to go as far as we did with it.

RTÉ had argued that the retirement age for Cox was set out in a staff handbook.

However the WRC’s adjudication officer said that it seemed clear the staff handbook did provide for working after the age of 65.

It was ruled that Cox had been discriminated against on the basis of her age in relation to the termination of her casual contract of employment.

The WRC decision has not yet been published on its public website.

Political discussion

Labour leader Brendan Howlin has called for the government to publish planned legislation abolishing the mandatory retirement age in the public sector, and to address similar issues for private sector workers who wish to continue working after the age of 65.

Howlin raised the issue during Leaders’ Questions today, following the WRC ruling regarding Cox.

“There are many people working in both the public and private sectors who for whatever reason do not wish to retire at the age of 65, and are more than capable of continuing on and making a valuable contribution to the workforce for another few years,” Howlin said.

“For those who want to work we need to ensure their rights are protected in law.”

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37 Comments
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    Mute Jane Alford
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    Mar 22nd 2018, 3:28 PM

    This happens in pretty much all industries. Once you hit 55, finding work becomes very hard. Once you hit 60, almost impossible. It’s a very ageist society, all the focus is on the young. Youth is always favoured over experience. The obvious exception is government where only death forces you off the gravy train.

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    Mute EillieEs
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    Mar 22nd 2018, 4:01 PM

    @Jane Alford: the opposite is true when it comes to RTE. So many of the same old voices on both radio and TV.

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    Mute Jane Alford
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    Mar 22nd 2018, 4:05 PM

    @EillieEs: only if you are male…

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    Mute mike scott
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    Mar 22nd 2018, 5:15 PM

    @Jane Alford: you what? Have you not seen almost every major appointment lately was coincidentally a woman?

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    Mute Jane Alford
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    Mar 22nd 2018, 6:49 PM

    @mike scott: how many were over 60?

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    Mute ted hagan
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    Mar 22nd 2018, 4:43 PM

    I always enjoyed Valerie Cox’s contributions to RTE. She is talented, warm-hearted and sensitive. I also admire immensely her efforts to help the refugees landing in Greece a couple of years ago and how her husband took ill while doing so.
    She certainly deserves the compensation. Good luck to her.

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    Mute Mark Johnson
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    Mar 22nd 2018, 5:27 PM

    @ted hagan: When it’s time to leave in RTE….just leave. Except if you’re Larry Gogan ….

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    Mute Bridget O'Hanlon
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    Mar 22nd 2018, 8:43 PM

    @ted hagan: here here. Very valuable voice

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    Mute Gerry Ashe
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    Mar 22nd 2018, 3:02 PM

    We seem to have dealt with discrimination on race, religion, gender, sexual orientation. The one glaring discrimination that remains is on age and particularly affects women. That needs to be the next battle towards equality.

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    Mute EillieEs
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    Mar 22nd 2018, 3:59 PM

    @Gerry Ashe: or maybe we should open it up to young people. I have the radio on all day and am
    sick of listening to the same voices day in, day out.

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    Mute Sighle A. Ni Chuana
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    Mar 22nd 2018, 6:30 PM

    @Gerry Ashe: i believe this issue affects men also, who are obliged to retire at 65 if employed in the public sector

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    Mute Liam Lyons
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    Mar 22nd 2018, 6:43 PM

    Touch of greed here. Her son is now a reporter on the same radio broadcaster. I’m sure it was on “merit” though. Shouldn’t bite the hand that feeds you (or your offspring)

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    Mute Mary Lyons
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    Mar 22nd 2018, 3:23 PM

    Marian Finnucane is worth every penny! Look at the figures of her listenership! That is what counts. Same with Ryan Tubridy! It doesn’t matter what you think on here, what would be the point of getting rid of the presenters who are highly paid but have the highest listership, then replace them with people who are not as popular and nobody turns them on or look forward to their show.

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    Mute Live at Oriel
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    Mar 22nd 2018, 4:16 PM

    @Mary Lyons: are you for real about Marian Finnucane.Getting 550,000 euro for 4 hours air time is an absolute disgrace .Its obscene and especially so when she goes on about other workers looking for unfair rises to their income.She in no way merits that type of money.No way at all.She does not even merit 75,000 euro.She should go down the country and work for radio stations that pay their workers yellow pack money and who have no job security what so ever.You would earn more in a fast food outlet

    Gerry Malone Dundalk

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    Mute ted hagan
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    Mar 22nd 2018, 4:46 PM

    @Mary Lyons:
    Yes Finnucane and Tubridy are popular and very talented at what they do but do they really deserve such huge amounts. I understand that’s the name of the game but nurses, carers etc do much more valuable work.

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    Mute mike scott
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    Mar 22nd 2018, 5:19 PM

    @Mary Lyons: MF brings almost nothing to her show. It’s not like she’s doing research like pat kenny or Matt on the last word. It’s a light magazine show and she could be replaced with someone for a third of the cost.

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    Mute Joe Burke
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    Mar 22nd 2018, 5:23 PM

    @Mary Lyons: Marian is way past it listen to the wonderful presenters on local radio who should be on national airways.Absolutely ridiculous salary for her they could get five younger better ones for that!

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    Mute Mark Johnson
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    Mar 22nd 2018, 5:26 PM

    @mike scott: Finucane has a fairly big production team doing the work for her, RTE Employees. It makes her situation even more bizarre!!!

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    Mute Mark Johnson
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    Mar 22nd 2018, 5:28 PM

    @Joe Burke: *airwaves

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    Mute Sighle A. Ni Chuana
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    Mar 22nd 2018, 6:33 PM

    @Mary Lyons: RTE is heavily in debt and should cut the outrageous salaries which we, the licence fee payers will have to pay when the licence is upped. None of this money is paid to local radio and should be, afterall it is public funds.

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    Mute Bridget O'Hanlon
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    Mar 22nd 2018, 8:46 PM

    @Live at Oriel: Mary is right. It’s all about listening numbers. And you can’t really think that four hours on radio means you only work four hours. Come on.

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    Mute UinsionnMac
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    Mar 23rd 2018, 1:10 AM

    @Mary Lyons: if I started presenting on radio 1 I would get the same figures. People of a certain age just listen to radio 1 out of habit.

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    Mute Smiley
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    Mar 22nd 2018, 9:27 PM

    Whilst I agree that age shouldn’t be a factor and ability to competently carry out the job should be, people who don’t retire at 65 become the equivalent of bed-blockers in hospitals. They don’t allow the opportunity for others to have a turn and to demonstrate their talents.

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    Mute Sighle A. Ni Chuana
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    Mar 22nd 2018, 11:25 PM

    @Smiley: Older people are entitled to display their talents too and don’t forget that a lot of women were forced to give up their careers on marriage. They had to forego the possibility of climbing the career ladder to raise their children and very often didn’t get back into the career until they were in their mid 40’s or even later and had to start where they left off. Now they are being forced to retire when they are earning a decent bit of money and having time to themselves to enjoy their work. Young people who think older people should move sideways for them need a few lessons in older women’s lives.

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    Mute Smiley
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    Mar 23rd 2018, 1:50 AM

    @Sighle A. Ni Chuana: Thanks. I am one of those “older women”.

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    Mute Adrian
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    Mar 22nd 2018, 4:10 PM

    Yet our incompetent gombeen politicians, who I’d say some would struggle to change a lightbulb, can go on forever. Not sure if leo varadkar can even drive!

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    Mute Christine Downey
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    Mar 22nd 2018, 6:12 PM

    Good luck to you Valerie. You were always a brilliant journalist, from the local paper, to local radio and RTÉ. Don’t let the sxxxx get you down!

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    Mute denis o mahony
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    Mar 22nd 2018, 8:20 PM

    What a joke to give her 50000 euro since it is the license fee holder will pay the money. I would also question how did the WRC come up with that figure.

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    Mute Pat Redmond
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    Mar 22nd 2018, 9:57 PM

    Deirdre Purcell, over 65 I’d guess, also does what it says in the papers, and she already has another job as a best selling author. RTÉ seems to bend the rules. Well done to Valerie!!

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    Mute JMac
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    Mar 23rd 2018, 2:10 AM

    Guys, you’re all missing the point re Marian Finucane, Tubridy, Duffy etc. They paid huge contract fees to bring in large listenership figures and advertisers pay according to the reach of the programme, i.e. the last listenership figures published by the market research company. Otherwise they would be paid the same as the rest of us. Just listen to Duffy and the constant infuriating “we must take a break 51551″ every few minutes.

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    Mute Percy French
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    Mar 24th 2018, 6:38 PM

    Valerie Cox is typical of most RTE employees. Eg Jimmy Magee, Gay Byrne, Larry Gogan et al. The just can’t do without the limelight and freebies. Every Colbert I’m at MF Joe Duffy etc all sitting in front rows with their families. This country has lots of very talented young students in media courses just dying to get a chance. Why is nt RTE doing a good Public Service and employing these young people to read What is says in the papers’ instead of millionaire authors like Deirdre Purcell and Valerie who I m sure not only got a nice golden handshake upon retirement from her full time job with RTE on reaching 65 years of age and John S Doyle. All retirees . Give youth a chance.

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    Mute Donal Corcoran
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    Mar 24th 2018, 1:47 PM

    But not only in employment , when you reach a certain age you become invisible in Irish National Media. Not so in Europe in places like Croatia and in Hungary. There they have been very interested in me at my young age, interviewing me for their national TV and inviting me to speak at a Bloomsday Festival. Would this happen in Ireland ? NO.

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