UK supermarket chain Morrisons is facing a potential £100 million (US $1.4 million) compensation claim after being accused of paying female workers less than men doing comparable jobs.
The claimants say that shop-floor workers, about 70% of whom are women, were paid almost £2 (US$2.80) per hour less than distribution centre staff, most of whom are men. They argue that the work should have been paid at the same rate because it is of equal value.
According to The Independent, hundreds of current and former Morrisons employees have signed up to the legal action. Law firm Roscoe Reid, which is bringing the claim, estimates that up to 25,000 current Morrisons workers and those who have left within the last six years could be eligible.
An employment tribunal will now appoint an independent expert to assess whether the work is of equal value, taking into consideration factors such as handling money, customer-facing duties and physical activity.
Meanwhile, Leigh Day, another law firm, is planning what could be the UK’s largest ever equal-pay claim against the Tesco supermarket chain. More than 200,000 Tesco workers could have been underpaid by as much as £20,000 (US$27,740), potentially costing the retailer as much as £4 billion (US$5.6 billion).
Supermarkets Asda and Sainsbury’s are both facing similar legal challenges over equal pay.
Emma Woollacott is a freelance business journalist. Her work has appeared in a wide range of publications, including the Guardian, the Times, Forbes and the BBC.
UK supermarket chain Morrisons is facing a potential £100 million (US $1.4 million) compensation claim after being accused of paying female workers less than men doing comparable jobs.
The claimants say that shop-floor workers, about 70% of whom are women, were paid almost £2 (US$2.80) per hour less than distribution centre staff, most of whom are men. They argue that the work should have been paid at the same rate because it is of equal value.
According to The Independent, hundreds of current and former Morrisons employees have signed up to the legal action. Law firm Roscoe Reid, which is bringing the claim, estimates that up to 25,000 current Morrisons workers and those who have left within the last six years could be eligible.
An employment tribunal will now appoint an independent expert to assess whether the work is of equal value, taking into consideration factors such as handling money, customer-facing duties and physical activity.
Meanwhile, Leigh Day, another law firm, is planning what could be the UK’s largest ever equal-pay claim against the Tesco supermarket chain. More than 200,000 Tesco workers could have been underpaid by as much as £20,000 (US$27,740), potentially costing the retailer as much as £4 billion (US$5.6 billion).
Supermarkets Asda and Sainsbury’s are both facing similar legal challenges over equal pay.
Emma Woollacott is a freelance business journalist. Her work has appeared in a wide range of publications, including the Guardian, the Times, Forbes and the BBC.
