Record compensation for sex discrimination claim

A former city analyst has received £1.5m compensation after an employment tribunal agreed that she had been sexually discriminated against when paid an "insultingly low" bonus.

Julia Bower eaned £120,000 a year at Schroder Securities, and in 1999 received a bonus of £25,000. The tribunal heard that a male colleague was awarded over 25 times that amount for doing the same work. Julia then quit her job, apparently when the company ignored her complaints about equal pay.

The case has hit the news headlines because of the record amount of compensation involved. It should also serve as a reminder to employers that discretionary bonuses cannot just be awarded purely on discretion, but must be awarded in a fair and reasonable manner. This point was highlighted in the recent case of Clark -v- Nomura International plc, covered on the Network.

The employer is considering an appeal.
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