A TAXI firm worker was awarded more than £2,000 after a tribunal ruled her employer short-changed her when she left.

Steve Coles, trading as First Associated Taxis, was ordered to pay Jade Osmond £2,237. But she said she had not received it all.

Care worker Jade, 20, spoke out after The Citizen told the story of Claire Chan, who is owed more than £10,000 by Mr Coles over a similar matter.

"He wrote to me saying he would pay it, less tax," said Jade, of London Road, Gloucester. "In the court, they said it was not taxable."

She received six monthly cheques for £290 each, amounting to £1,740 – around £500 short of the award.

The last payment was in October last year, and with interest, she believes she is owed just over £800.

Jade started work for First Associated Taxis, which Mr Coles has since shut down, just before Christmas 2007.

She told the tribunal she was a controller who did some book keeping, and worked up to 60 hours a week.

Jade heard rumours she was going to be sacked in October 2008 but said Mr Coles denied that. She said she then returned from holiday to find her hours cut in half.

She handed in her notice, which she said Mr Coles rejected, before paying her for three days' work.

The tribunal had heard she called to ask about notice and holiday pay and was told she wouldn't be paid for it.

She took Mr Coles to an employment tribunal in Bristol, and he was told on March 6, 2009, to pay £285 for failing to pay notice, £620 compensation for failing to provide written particulars of employment and £1,332 in holiday pay.

Claire, 32, from Kingsholm, won her case for unfair dismissal last year. The judge ruled she was unlawfully discriminated against on grounds of sex.

She was dismissed after she told bosses she was pregnant, and subsequently suffered a miscarriage.

Her payout of £10,384 was awarded by a Bristol employment tribunal judge on November 27.

Two weeks ago Mr Coles said she would have the money within four days but she said it has not arrived.

Mr Coles told The Citizen the firm had been shut down and Claire would get her money.

He said he believed Jade's compensation was taxable and said matters were being dealt with by solicitors.