Vet loses tribunal case over £500 relocation allowance deduction

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 14 Oct, 06:05 · Archive

A veterinary surgeon has lost an employment tribunal case over £500 deducted from her final wages by her employer.

Dr Francesca Marriott took her former employer to an employment tribunal over £500 deducted from her final wages. She argued she had not been made aware of a clause requiring her to repay half of a £1,000 tax-free relocation allowance until after she had moved house to take up the job at The Vet Whitehaven. An employment judge ruled the condition was binding and that she had left before completing six months' service, so the deduction was valid.

Dr Marriott accepted the job in March 2025 following discussions over WhatsApp with the practice's director, Dr Sophie Murphy. She moved house on May 1 and entered into a six-month tenancy agreement. However, she did not receive her written employment contract until June 4, the evening before her employment began. The contract included a clause stating: 'If you leave the role within 6 months, 50 per cent will be paid back to the practice and deducted from your final salary.'

She resigned on October 31, explaining that she needed to move because her landlords were selling the property. Employment Judge Kenward described this as an 'incomplete explanation', observing that needing to vacate rented accommodation would not, in itself, have prevented her from continuing to work. He noted that her resignation letter made no suggestion of workplace difficulties, with Dr Marriott writing that 'everyone has been so supportive'.

How it is being reported

• Why employment judge called vet's £500 tribunal battle 'surprising'A veterinary surgeon who took her former employer to an employment tribunal over £500 deducted from her final wages has lost her case.Whitehaven News · 14 Oct, 05:00
• Why employment judge called vet's £500 tribunal battle 'surprising'A veterinary surgeon who took her former employer to an employment tribunal over £500 deducted from her final wages has lost her case.Cumberland News · 14 Oct, 05:00

In this story: Dr Francesca Marriott · Dr Sophie Murphy · The Vet Whitehaven · Employment Judge Kenward

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