I am bookkeeper for a small employer and run the payroll. We have an employee that started with us in July and since then has been off sick for the majority of her time and has produced one sick note for one week. Our policy is that we do not pay sick pay and have paid SSP for the one week. She returned to work and handed in her notice effective immediately. Her contract states that notice is 1 month. She claims to have not seen her contract. She was owed 3 shifts pay which we held in lieu of notice. We have now been approached by an accountant “acting on her behalf” requesting payment of the wages plus holiday pay. My questions are:

1. Are we okay to hold back pay?
2. Are we obliged to reply to this accountant?
3. We have an unsigned copy of the contract on file and are adamant that a copy was given but cannot prove this… how do we stand?

Thanks for your help.
Lucy