Should I bring a claim? Man getting paid more

[CochonDinde]

I've found out a man I work with gets paid £2k more a year than me. I know it's a small amount, but it's the principle that's got my rage up. I work my arse off, I work evenings and weekends off my own back just to get my (highly stressful) job done. I get rated highly on my performance reviews. Theres a man with exactly the same job role, different location, who is a lovely bloke but he's shite. Same job title, but he deals with stuff at a much lower level than me, and I know he's been officially rated as 'needs improvement' in his reviews. He's been pulled up about his mobile phone usage and crap/lack of performance multiple times. He's been there years less than I have. Should I raise a claim to tribunal? I'm so fucked off!

Talk to your union rep and ACAS first, they can help you build a case. The good news is that there are no longer fees to take your case to a tribunal.

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/work/problems-at-work/employment-tribunals-from-29-july-2013/what-will-it-cost-to-make-a-claim-to-an-employment-tribunal/paying-costs-after-an-employment-tribunal-claim/

Have you been on the same pay for a while, Can you put in a request for a 2k payrise? Do you have regular 1:1s with your line manager? Let her/him know you need a salary review, urgently. I'd ask first before going down tribunal route. Hope it works out.

Unless there’s an official pay scale, people can negotiate different salaries quite legitimately.

A lot will depend on the type of employment and how salaries are determined. That being said, even in places where salaries are negotiated, there is more sensitivity now about pay gaps, and it sounds like you could make a good case for a raise.

OP, have you actually asked for a pay rise and been refused? Because if not, you really need to do that first.
We women are often our own worst enemies in this regard - we work ourselves to exhaustion, hoping that our efforts will be noticed and rewarded, because we’re too polite to put ourselves forward and demand pay rises. It doesn’t work, and you will just be taken for granted.
DD had this problem, until she demanded a meeting, made her case and said she was leaving if she didn’t get the pay and recognition she merited. She got a £5,000 rise and regraded to a higher managerial level!

It’s what happens as it’s often easier to get approval to give people better starting salaries rather than pay rises.

Sit down with your boss and give some factual examples of how your role /responsibilities have changed, the stakeholders you are now dealing with, how you’ve exceeded expectations etc and ask for a rise. (Sorry if I’m stating the obvious- A business case will probably be needed to get the sign off up the chain so clear examples rather than just saying you work all hours). I’d try merit before threats to leave or tribunals.

If not now, when can they? It also might be worth discussing what tasks could be delegated elsewhere to enable you to concentrate on the business needs. You don’t have to do it all to be appreciated and there may be things you’ve outgrown.