Hello 
I joined MN today to be able to sound off anonymously in here about my current situation, which to cut a long story short is that having raised an equal pay claim informally, I now find myself asked to consider a settlement agreement to leave, after 20+ years with the company.
I'm in the most senior role, reporting to the owner. My equal pay issue relates to my predecessor in the role. Two weeks before bringing up equal pay, I was being asked to become a director of two more companies owned by my boss (one of them is his biggest, operating worldwide) so you would imagine this meant that he didn't think I had any performance issues... Anyway, since the pay thing, he's now questioning my focus and motivation after so long with the company 
and suddenly he thinks it's a good idea that I move on. 
Obviously the whole thing stinks to high heaven, and I've instructed an employment solicitor to help me. I think it's worth the investment as there are big numbers at stake, I've come to the conclusion that I want out with the maximum payout, in the shortest time possible. He's made an initial low settlement offer, and so it begins...I'm going back with a counter offer on Monday. If we can't settle, I will go for a formal equal pay claim, right to a Tribunal if needs be.
Despite the fighting talk, it's really weird to think that by the end of the year I might not be working there any more. I've been there a lifetime and work with some amazing people.
More generally, and by way of introduction, I live in the south of England, I'm in my late 40s, a single Mum to adult children who live at home and both work, I've got a supportive long term partner (we don't live together). I don't have any legal training, but through work I've had shedloads of experience of all kinds of employment matters, so I hope I'll be able to contribute in here and 'give' as well as 'take' as I use you as a sounding board!
Has anybody been through something similar?