Six-figure salary lawyer bosses in Birmingham have sparked a "Scrooge" row after emailing junior staff demanding cash for company Christmas presents.
Michael Ward, senior partner at top 10 Birmingham legal firm HBJ Gateley Wareing, was accused of flouting the festive spirit by ordering all employees to fork out for gifts for secretaries and support staff.
Mr Ward drew up a "level of contribution" towards Christmas gifts, from £75 for partners and directors to £15 for trainees and plot conveyancers. But the move angered some employees, who claimed lower paid staff were being pressured into paying for gifts alongside equity partners earning up to £650,000 a year.
One employee, who asked not to be named, said: "Ebenezer Scrooge partners are forcing their solicitors to fund the Christmas spirit.
"It's an absolute joke. Equity partners here can take home up to £650,000 a year while trainees are on around £20,000 to £25,000. There's no comparison. Why should everybody have to fork out? Some people here could afford to buy as many Christmas presents as anybody could ever want."
Mr Ward's email says: "You will be asked to contribute the same amount as your peers in order that each secretary and support staff member can receive a Christmas gift from the fee-earning teams.
"You will have the option of either signing a short consent form so that the deduction can be made straight from your salary in January or, alternatively, if you do not wish the deduction to be made you can make your contribution by providing cash."
Mr Ward denied the Scrooge accusations and said dissenting employees could opt out of the payments if they wanted.
