Broken pay promises give rise to employment disputes

Published on 22 Jul 2010 under category: legal

Employers could find themselves dragged into employment disputes from workers who want their full pay reinstated.

New research from the recruitment consultants Badenoch & Clark found that more than three-quarters (77 per cent) of staff who took a pay cut to keep their jobs in the economic downturn are still not back on full salary.

This could result in serious disputes, initiated by disgruntled staff who may have been forced to take on more work for less pay during the recession.

However, the survey also found that a similar percentage (76 per cent) believed that they would have their pay reinstated – though just over one in ten had been promised by employers.

Commenting on the research, Badenoch & Clark's managing director Lynne Hardman said that employers unable to give full salaries should try to retain staff through other means.

This could also apply to employers keen to avoid drawn out employment disputes with staff over contracts.

"Where budgets are tight, employers need to find other ways to incentivise staff to keep them engaged and to prevent them from looking for new opportunities", Ms Hardman advised.

If you require advice on Employment Disputes please call us on +44 (0)20 7831 0101 and ask for David Buckle.