Belfast woman's £305k equal pay settlement believed to be largest ever
A Belfast woman has been awarded more than £305,000 in what is believed to be the largest ever individual equal pay claim in Northern Ireland.
Shona Boyle, a long-serving electronic engineer with Caterpillar NI, initiated a case against the US multinational manufacturing company in 2018 – claiming that three male colleagues performing the same role were being paid significantly more.
Having unsuccessfully raised the issue with her employer, Ms Boyle sought assistance from McCartan Turkington Breen (MTB) solicitors in Belfast and the case was eventually heard by an employment tribunal over several days in November 2022 and March 2023, following delays due to the Covid pandemic.
The evidence included witness testimony and a detailed forensic financial loss report prepared by Sumer Accountants NI Ltd.
In a landmark ruling, the tribunal determined that Ms Boyle had been performing the same role as her male colleagues and that the disparity in pay was due to her being a woman.
MTB said the ruling underlines the importance of gender pay equality and sets a precedent for future claims.
The tribunal judge concluded that any difference between Ms Boyle and three named male comparators were not of practical importance in relation to her conditions of employment.
As a result, her compensation award included back pay for the period of underpayment, and interest from the date of the tribunal proceedings being launched in July 2018, with the total coming to £305,719.
Ms Boyle will also be ensured equality of pay and benefits from now onwards.
Ms Boyle joined Caterpillar in 2003 as an electronic engineering graduate, before being promoted to the role of program specialist in the company’s Project Management Office.
Caterpillar manufactures construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives.
The tribunal concluded: “We are satisfied that the claimant’s evidence to the tribunal contained sufficient detail of the projects that she was involved in, to discharge the evidential burden of showing that she was at the relevant time engaged in like work to her comparitors”.
Commenting on the settlement, Ms Boyle said: “Seeking legal assistance was a last resort, after receiving unsatisfactory justifications for the pay difference from Caterpillar NI.
"I’m looking forward to continuing to do the job that I love.”
Ms Boyle added: “My thanks to John McShane, solicitor at MTB, for his clear, concise and professional advice and to Clarissa Ingham, also of MTB.”
John McShane, solicitor with McCartan Turkington Breen, said: “We are immensely proud of Shona for standing up for what is right and for having the courage to pursue this claim.”
Mr McShane added: “This ruling not only vindicates her position but also sends a powerful message that gender pay discrimination will not be tolerated”.
A spokesperson for Caterpillar NI said: “Caterpillar respects the decision made by the Employment Tribunal. We continually strive to live our values and hold ourselves to a high standard of responsibility, integrity and compliance with all laws.”