Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Latest NewsEquality, diversity and inclusionEqual pay

Agenda for Change court challenge could lead to flood of equal pay claims

by Mike Berry 9 Oct 2008
by Mike Berry 9 Oct 2008

A tribunal case that could lead to more than 13,700 equal pay claims against the NHS Agenda for Change pay system is under way.

The test case, Hartley v Northumberland Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, is being heard at an employment tribunal in Newcastle upon Tyne.

No-win no-fee lawyer Stefan Cross is arguing that Agenda for Change is inherently sexist as thousands of mainly male technical staff were placed in higher pay bands during its initial job evaluation process. This compounded previous pay band discrimination inherent under the old pay scales, he claims.

If the test case is successful, it could open the door to thousands of similar claims, costing the NHS millions of pounds in back pay claims. Cross has previously led thousands of equal pay cases against local councils.

Agenda for Change was rolled out in 2004 and applies to all directly employed NHS staff, with the exception of doctors, dentists and some very senior managers.

Gill Bellord, director of pay, pensions and employment relations, said: “NHS Employers supports equal pay for work of equal value. We devised the Agenda for Change system in partnership with the trade unions and believe that it is fair and consistent with the principles of equal pay.

“The NHS has a good record on equal pay. However, we are aware that there are a number of equal pay claims currently under way. The law relating to employment and equal pay is complex and there are a number of legal issues that will be tested in the Hartley case, and it would inappropriate to comment until the outcome is known.”

The case is likely to last until the end of November.




Avatar
Mike Berry

previous post
What to spend on training
next post
Workshops for new dads: How I made a difference

You may also like

Historical holiday underpayments must be paid

4 Oct 2023

MAC recommends scrapping shortage occupation list

4 Oct 2023

Advanced British Standard: Teacher recruitment plans ‘pie in...

4 Oct 2023

Scientist wins £340,000 in age discrimination case

4 Oct 2023

Lucy Letby: Hospital faces corporate manslaughter probe

4 Oct 2023

Sham training of security officers exposed

3 Oct 2023

ICO publishes workplace monitoring guidance

3 Oct 2023

Consultants offer ‘olive branch’ on strikes

3 Oct 2023

Personnel Today Awards 2023 shortlist: Innovation in Recruitment...

3 Oct 2023

Top 10 HR questions September 2023: the role...

3 Oct 2023

  • Almost a fifth of UK workers feel undervalued – we need to solve this PROMOTED | A new report has found...Read more
  • Discover the value of CIPD accreditation PROMOTED | See how the CIPD can increase your earning potential...Read more
  • What does it mean to be an HR professional in 2024? (survey) PROMOTED | The world of HR is changing rapidly...Read more
  • The Contractor Management Mastery Pack: Everything you need to manage and pay global contractors PROMOTED | Answers to cross-border...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2023

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2023 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+