Mr J McGill v VGC Leeds Limited HELD By CVP — 2020

Mr J McGill was employed by VGC Leeds Limited as an electronic gaming team leader at the Victoria Gate casino in Leeds from 19 December 2016 until his dismissal for redundancy on 14 June 2019. The tribunal identified the sole issue as whether he had been unfairly selected for redundancy because of matters arising during his employment. Mr McGill accepted that redundancy was the reason for dismissal, but contended that his history of complaints, grievances, and the letter he sent on 27 March 2019 led to his selection.

The tribunal found that the respondent carried out a consultation process that included an explanatory note, two consultation meetings, a final consultation meeting, a vacancy list, and an appeal. It accepted that there had been leaks about the forthcoming redundancy process, including one involving the claimant, but found that this did not disturb the reasonableness of the dismissal. The tribunal also found that, although Mr McGill had raised a number of grievances and complaints over time, the claimant accepted that his role was redundant and did not materially challenge the redundancy process itself.

Applying section 98(4) of the Employment Rights Act 1996, the tribunal concluded that the respondent acted reasonably in treating redundancy as a sufficient reason for dismissal, and that the claimant's grievances did not disturb or interfere with the redundancy process. It found that the redundancy was not rigged and was fair and reasonable. The unfair dismissal claim was therefore dismissed.