TWO women, originally from the Republic, have accepted a total of £12,000 in compensation arising from fair employment cases they brought against the Northern Ireland Civil Service.
They took the actions because their nationality excluded them from consideration for two Civil Service posts, according to the Fair Employment Commission (FEC), which supported their cases.
In separate cases, two Catholic men have settled complaints of religious discrimination, involving allegations of sectarian harassment, for a total of £20,000.
The women each accepted £6,000 in respect of complaints of religious and political discrimination against the Northern Ireland Civil Service in 1992.
Both are natives of the Republic and were excluded from consideration for the posts of executive officer and higher scientific officer within the service.
They were excluded from the posts because of a British "public service" requirement which stated that European Union nationals who were not British Commonwealth citizens were not to be considered for these posts.
The cases were settled between the parties. The Civil Service also agreed that it "should rigorously examine the selection criteria used for employment and ensure that these are job related, appropriate in every case and do not have an adverse impact on a member of a particular community".
Following a review of procedures in late 1992 the "public service" requirement ceased to apply to the posts for which the women had applied.
The men's cases involved circumstances surrounding termination of their employment at Coastline Haulage Ltd, Belfast, which traded as Able Freight until its recent liquidation.
