Background: A former employee has recently raised a claim regarding unpaid hours of work, approximately two years after her employment ended. The individual was employed for around six months and has since made numerous Subject Access Requests, many of which have been repetitive and vexatious in nature. These SAR matters appear to now be resolved.
Current Issue: The former employee has submitted a list of dates and hours that she claims were worked but not paid. We have a spreadsheet on file showing the hours submitted to payroll and subsequently paid. However, due to the time that has lapsed, we are limited in our ability to independently verify the newly claimed hours. Our only additional source of contemporaneous information is a series of WhatsApp conversations in which the employee shared her availability.
Objective: We are seeking professional support to:
1. Compare the hours claimed by the former employee against the hours already submitted to and processed by payroll. 2. Cross-reference the claimed dates with available WhatsApp messages to assess where availability contradicts or supports the claim. 3. Prepare a clear and structured Schedule of Evidence, highlighting: - Verified hours already paid. - Claimed hours lacking corroboration. - Claimed hours directly contradicted by existing records (e.g. WhatsApp messages indicating absence, travel, or leave). 4. Present findings in a format that can be used internally for decision-making, or externally if the matter escalates to litigation.
Approach to Resolution: In the interest of avoiding protracted legal proceedings, we are open to making a goodwill settlement payment for any hours that remain unverified, provided there is no clear evidence to the contrary. However, this must be supported by a professional review and documentation of our due diligence in the event the matter proceeds formally.
Deliverables: - Annotated spreadsheet comparing hours claimed vs paid. - Schedule of Evidence with references to supporting messages or records. - Recommendations on how best to position a settlement offer.
Confidentiality: Due to the sensitive nature of this matter, all documentation and correspondence should be treated as strictly confidential.
