Woman turned down for a firefighter job awarded €8k over age and gender discrimination 

WRC found Cork City Council's use of the ‘one-size-fits-all’ beep fitness test gives younger candidates an advantage

Terézia Foott maintained that the persistently low female intake for full-time firefighter roles was linked to the inflexible beep testing method. File picture

Cork City Council has been ordered to pay €8,000 compensation to a woman whose application for a firefighting job was unsuccessful due to a discriminatory ‘one size fits all’ beep fitness test for applicants.

The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) Adjudicator, Úna Glazier-Farmer found the council discriminated against Terézia Foott on the grounds of gender and age when applying the beep test for applicants for the full-time firefighter role.