A senior lawyer for the Government Legal Department (GLD), had claims of unlawful deductions of wages and indirect sex discrimination upheld at a Tribunal today.

Last July civil servants were paid £1,500 in a “cost of living” extra payment “in recognition of the pressures felt during the 2022-23 pay year”.

However, Bev Gleeson, who was on a six-month career break, was not paid.

The GLD stated that Gleeson, who has been at the government department since 2004, was not eligible for the extra payment as the criteria was that you needed to be “in post” between 31st March and 31st July 2023.

Her career break between March 2023 and it was due to last until September 2023.

Those on maternity leave or on sick leave during the same period were eligible for the payment.

Gleeson launched three claims to the Employment Tribunal, unlawful deduction from wages, indirect sex discrimination and indirect associative disability discrimination.