Banks that try to avoid paying bonuses to employees who leave before the money is due may end up in court.

Charles Ferguson, an employment lawyer specialising in investment banking cases, said increasing numbers of employment contracts state that bonuses are allocated with a view to retaining staff and, to be eligible, employees should be working for the company on the date bonuses are paid. He said some banks have been using the clause to avoid paying staff who have been promised large bonuses but are made redundant before the payment date.