- The eagerly anticipated House of Lords decision on the Stringer v HMRC case was made on 10 June
- It did not produce the outcome most employment lawyers and HR professionals were expecting
- HMRC decided not to continue to pursue the case in relation to the accrual of sick pay during sick leave
- Many of the complex questions still remain unanswered
The long-awaited House of Lords decision on the Stringer v HMRC case was issued on 10 June 2009. However the judgment did not deliver the expected outcome on long-term sickness and statutory annual leave. Instead of a decision on the points remitted by the ECJ on sick leave and holidays, the House of Lords decision was on one specific issue that the Ainsworth claim had raised – does the failure to pay statutory holiday pay constitute a deduction from wages?