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Equal pay
In Long v British Gas Trading Ltd, an employment tribunal held that the selection for redundancy of a part-time employee who was the mother of young children was sex discrimination, less favourable treatment because of part-time working and an unfair dismissal.
In Asda Stores Ltd v Brierley and others, the Supreme Court has confirmed that workers in Asda supermarkets are entitled to compare their pay with the pay of depot workers.
In Ahmed v BBC, an employment tribunal upheld the presenter's equal pay claim because her work on Newswatch was like her comparator's work on Points of View, and the BBC had not shown that the difference in pay was due to a non-discriminatory material factor.
In Asda Stores Ltd v Brierley and others, the Court of Appeal held that workers in Asda supermarkets are entitled to compare their pay with the pay of depot workers because common terms of employment apply.
The Court of Appeal has ruled that the employment tribunal has no power to stay proceedings indefinitely for the purpose of compelling the claimants to bring a new action in the High Court.
The Supreme Court has held that the fact that the work of the claimants' chosen comparators has to be carried on in a different place of work out of necessity is no barrier to bringing an equal pay claim.
Amanda Steadman is a professional support lawyer, and Joe Beeston, Laura Garner, Helen Samuel and Dinu Suntook are associates at Addleshaw Goddard LLP. They round up the latest rulings.
In this week's case of the week, provided by DLA Piper, the European Court of Justice held that keeping differences in pay in the "interests of good industrial relations" cannot, by itself, be a sufficient justification, although can be one factor taken into account if there are other justifications.
This week's case of the week, provided by DLA Piper, covers disparities in pay after the amalgamation of senior and junior roles.
The Supreme Court has held that civil courts should retain their discretion when deciding whether or not to strike out equal pay claims that are time-barred from being heard in the employment tribunal.
Employment law cases: HR and legal information and guidance relating to equal pay.