Employment law cases

Woodcock v Cumbria Primary Care Trust [2011] IRLR 119 EAT

In Woodcock v Cumbria Primary Care Trust [2012] IRLR 491 CA, the Court of Appeal upheld the EAT decision that the employer was justified in dismissing a senior member of staff, who had been at risk of redundancy for some time, before he reached the age of 50 to avoid him getting a pension "windfall". However, the Court of Appeal stressed that this case has unusual facts and it is not opening the door for employers to time a reorganisation solely to prevent an employee from qualifying for enhanced pension rights.