The BBC paid out more than £600,000 dealing with employment tribunal claims last year. A total of £379,125 went in payments to aggrieved staff to settle cases and a further £203,627 plus VAT was spent in external lawyers' fees in 2009-10, figures released by the corporation in response to a Freedom of Information request show. The BBC had to pay another £24,386 plus VAT as a contribution towards one claimant's legal costs. The total does not include work done by in-house employment lawyers or claims brought against BBC Worldwide, the corporation's commercial arm. Thirty-three employees brought employment tribunal claims against the BBC last year, according to the Freedom of Information response.
The Independent, January 2010
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