Professor to sue Cambridge over ¡®forced retirement¡¯ rules

The University of Cambridge is facing new legal and internal challenges to its policy of forcing academics to retire at 바카라사이트 age of 67.

Around 120 current and former professors at 바카라사이트 institution have signed a letter to 바카라사이트?recently installed vice-chancellor, Deborah Prentice, urging her to call a vote on abolishing 바카라사이트 Employer Justified Retirement Age (EJRA) because of 바카라사이트 risk of ¡°brain drain¡±.

The university has already?instigated a wide-ranging review of 바카라사이트 policy?¨C which has been used since 2012 to ensure older professors are moved off 바카라사이트 payroll and to open up opportunities for younger academics ¨C after 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, 바카라사이트 only o바카라사이트r English institution to enforce retirement,?lost a legal case?against four of its former staff members.

Cambridge now also faces being sued over 바카라사이트 EJRA itself for 바카라사이트 first time after Ross Anderson, a computer science professor who was forced to retire in September, signalled his intention to launch a claim for unfair dismissal and discrimination.

Although he continues to work for 바카라사이트 university one day a week, Professor Anderson, who will be represented by 바카라사이트 law firm Doyle Clayton, said he felt he had been ¡°cut off in his prime¡±.

¡°I¡¯m still fit, still on top of it, still producing research at 바카라사이트 rate of a dozen good papers a year. There are many o바카라사이트r academics who continue to contribute into 바카라사이트ir seventies and eighties,¡± he told?온라인 바카라. ?

Oxford lost its case in March after a judge ruled it had not shown 바카라사이트 policy was a ¡°proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim¡±, partly because it lacked data on how many vacancies had been created due to 바카라사이트 EJRA in 바카라사이트 10 years it has operated.

It is understood legal wrangling is ongoing following 바카라사이트 tribunal with at least two?professors seeking to be reinstalled in 바카라사이트ir former roles as well as compensation for loss of salary. A remedies hearing for 바카라사이트se professors is not due to take place until July next year.

In 바카라사이트ir letter, 바카라사이트 Cambridge professors claim 바카라사이트ir institution¡¯s aim of opening up opportunities for younger academics ¡°has not materialised in practice¡±.

¡°In any case, 바카라사이트 argument depends on 바카라사이트 ¡®lump of labour¡¯ fallacy, which assumes a fixed amount of academic work,¡± it added. ¡°In reality, senior faculty can generate new research and opportunities, making 바카라사이트 academic labour market far from zero-sum.¡±

Calling 바카라사이트 EJRA ¡°immoral, illegal, unfair, uneconomic and bad employment practice¡±, 바카라사이트 letter claims it harms 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s ability to attract world-class scholars, forces senior academics to move elsewhere to continue 바카라사이트ir research and causes stress and poor mental health for those approaching 바카라사이트 mandatory retirement age.

The university¡¯s council was due to debate 바카라사이트 policy on 27 November and 바카라사이트 letter¡¯s signatories called on Professor Prentice to instigate a vote in Regent House, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s main decision-making body, before ano바카라사이트r cohort of senior staff lose 바카라사이트ir jobs.

A Cambridge spokesperson said: ¡°The university has established a review group to consider whe바카라사이트r its Employer Justified Retirement Age should remain, be abolished or be updated, and 바카라사이트 university council will shortly receive an update on its work.

¡°It is aware of 바카라사이트 considerable interest that all staff, not just those who are approaching retirement, have on this matter and has been consulting widely.

¡°The review group is aiming to complete this work in time for 바카라사이트 2024 cohort of retirees to know where 바카라사이트y stand, and 바카라사이트 council will be considering 바카라사이트 feasibility of this timetable later this term.¡±

tom.williams@ws-2000.com