Legal Advice Please! reclaiming money from previous employer!

[hockeypuck]

Hi

I ceased employment from my previous employer 5 weeks ago. At that time I was owed 2 weeks company sick pay which I still (despite several letters to both the store and the head office) have not received.

I warned them in my last letter that I was considering legal action and asked them to respond to my letter or acknowledge receipt within 7 days. I still haven't heard anything after 10 days.

I have drafted a letter before action to send them tomorrow.

I just wanted to know how I proceed - do I settle this in a small claims court or in an employment tribunal? What is my next step.
It is about £70 in dispute.

Thanks

[flowerybeanbag]

Hockeypuck money that you are owed from your employer such as wages, sick pay or similar that have not received are considered unlawful deductions of wages. These are dealt with by the Employment Tribunal.

Here is the ET website, with information about how to claim, here is the DTI website bit on unlawful deductions and here is ACAS, you would probably find it beneficial to give them a ring.

If you put in a claim form I would think it would be very unlikely you'd have to take it any further, for £70 I can't imagine your employer would defend it.

Give ACAS a ring and have a look at those links, hope you get it sorted out.

[hockeypuck]

flowery

Thanks so much for those links. I now know where to look -I didn't have a clue where to start before.

You are fab! Have a gold star!

[hockeypuck]

flowerybeanbag!

Incase you happen to check old threads I have a little update.

Following your really useful help I made an online Tribunals claim and got a date for next week.

I got all the legal letters from my old employers telling me to be ready for a fight, lots of things to try and put me off, but then 4 days later a telephone call from ACAS to tell me that they had settled! I got the full amount!!!!

Thanks so much for your help - it made it so much easier!!