A group of Groucho’s Record Store staff have secured a £46,000 win over their former employer after claiming for unpaid wages and redundancy cash.
The four former employees raised an employment tribunal action against Stella Brodie claiming for redundancy money, unpaid wages and damages.
Mrs Brodie took over the running of the iconic record store after Alastair “Breeks” Brodie died in 2019.
Mrs Brodie closed the store in June 2020, but former Groucho’s staff said they were left without wages for weeks after she told them they would not be paid redundancy money.
Following an employment tribunal, Mrs Brodie was ordered to pay £45,971 in total.
A written ruling said: “The claimant brings claims for a statutory redundancy payment, damages for failure to serve the statutory minimum notice period, and a claim for an unauthorised deduction from wages in respect of accrued untaken holidays outstanding at the termination of his employment.
“His three colleagues, Ms Rogers, Mr Mills and Mr Demspter bring similar claims arising from the same or similar facts.”
Mrs Brodie did not participate in the tribunal, which heard Morag Rogers, assistant manager of Groucho’s, was contacted by Mrs Brodie on June 14 and told the shop was to close.
But the judgement notes Ms Rogers was told by Mrs Brodie that she did not intend to pay any notice or redundancy payments to Ms Rogers or her co-workers.
Employment judge Lesley Murphy found in favour of Ms Rogers, alongside the other former employees, Lee Scott, Frank Mills and Matthew Dempster.
In total the group were awarded £45,971 in unpaid redundancy money and accrued holiday payments.
Damages were also awarded for Mrs Brodie’s breach of contract, in that she did not provide the claimants with their statutory minimum notice period.
Mrs Brodie did not respond to a request for comment.
The former employees went on to start their own business following the closure of Groucho’s, but were left without an income for 12 weeks whilst they established Thirteen Records.
After becoming jobless, three of the group got together to continue in the music trade and run the second-hand record store in the city centre.
The group said they did not wish to comment.
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