Council to offer Equal Pay compensation
Monday, May 15 2006
Scottish Borders Council is taking positive action to settle potential Equal Pay claims. In doing so, SBC is acting to provide the best possible terms for its workforce, and to maintain good employee relations.
Like many other Councils across Scotland, SBC has acknowledged that there have been past differences in some pay structures. In particular, Home Care Assistants, Cooks, Cleaners and certain other manual posts - jobs traditionally held by women - did not receive the bonus payments that some traditionally "male posts did.
The Council is now going to write to all eligible employees (some 1,200 staff) to offer them a one-off compensation payment
to be handed over by cheque at a number of meetings in June. To ensure that employees are properly advised all staff attending
the June meetings will be offered independent, impartial legal advice from qualified Solicitors to help them decide whether
to accept the payments on offer. The Council will meet the cost of this advice.
A number of other Scottish Local Authorities have made offers to employees which have been accepted by a large proportion
of staff, and the level of SBC's offer compares very favourably with these.
The value of the offers will depend upon the weekly hours and length of service of individual employees. The Council will pay all Income Tax and National Insurance on the settlements.
SBC is aware that no-win-no-fee lawyers may advise employees to take their cases to Employment Tribunals in the hope that they will receive larger payouts than those offered by Local Authorities. However, these solicitors would take a percentage of any award made and may also impose a penalty fee on any employee who withdraws from their representation.
The Council wishes to protect employees' interests. SBC hopes, therefore, that all staff will wait until they have had their compensation offer letter and free legal advice before making a final decision.
Unified Solutions.