MUHAMMAD, JCA (Delivering the Lead Judgment): The appellant, who was the plaintiff at the lower court, was at all material time an employee of the respondent since October, 1976 and by the time of her voluntary retirement she had risen to the post of Insurance/Welfare Manager on salary level 7.1. The appellant submitted her letter of voluntary retirement dated 9th December, 1996 which was accepted by the respondent and the respondent directed that the retirement should take effect from 31st December, 1996. The appellant was then paid her terminal benefits up to 31st December, 1996 based on the conditions of service operating as at that time. By a subsequent agreement reached between the Management and the Senior Staff
Association of the respondent Company, a new revised condition of service was approved. The agreement was backdated to take effect from the 1st day of January, 1997. By this agreement, gratuity and other conditions of service were reviewed upwards. It was the contention…