NLC Feedback (01/07/14)
The rumour mill is hard at work in North Lanarkshire which always happens, in my experience, when the fight for equal pay reaches a critical point.
Apparently the latest rumour doing the rounds is that people who accepted a 'first wave' settlement from North Lanarkshire are debarred from pursuing a further or 'second wave' claim because of the small print contained in the Compromise Agreement they signed with the Council, years ago.
But this is nonsense and any clients of Action 4 Equality Scotland (A4ES) who previously accepted a 'first wave' settlement are still part of the ongoing challenge in the Glasgow Employment Tribunal.
Because this ongoing legal action relates to the pay arrangements after 2006 when the Council introduced a new, if badly botched, job evaluation scheme (JES).
So A4ES clients have nothing to worry about and if anyone is not already an A4ES client, then it's not too late to register a claim even now.
A4ES has sent out well over 250 information packs to people in North Lanarkshire over the past two weeks, potential new clients who have still to register equal pay claims against North Lanarkshire Council.
Now some of these individuals have asked whether they need to take up their own claim - won't they just get the same settlement if and when the Council finally concedes defeat?
Well the answer to that question is No, as lots of people in South Lanarkshire have recently found out to their cost.
The only way for people to protect their interests is to register an individual equal pay claim which is then valid for five years going back in time from the date a person registers an equal pay claim with the Employment Tribunals.
For example, if a claim were registered today (June 2014) the claim would cover the period from June 2009 until the date it is finally settled.
In other words delaying the date is affecting the value of a claim because the 'meter' doesn't start running until a claim is registered with the Employment Tribunals.
Now some of these individuals have asked whether they need to take up their own claim - won't they just get the same settlement if and when the Council finally concedes defeat?
Well the answer to that question is No, as lots of people in South Lanarkshire have recently found out to their cost.
The only way for people to protect their interests is to register an individual equal pay claim which is then valid for five years going back in time from the date a person registers an equal pay claim with the Employment Tribunals.
For example, if a claim were registered today (June 2014) the claim would cover the period from June 2009 until the date it is finally settled.
In other words delaying the date is affecting the value of a claim because the 'meter' doesn't start running until a claim is registered with the Employment Tribunals.
DON’T GET LEFT BEHIND
REGISTER AN EQUAL PAY CLAIM WITH
ACTION 4 EQUALITY SCOTLAND
TODAY
Contact Action 4 Equality Scotland:
Phone:0131 652 7366
Email: enquiries@action4equality.co.uk
