Mr William Lorrimer v Royal Mail Group Limited — 2020

The claimant had brought an unfair dismissal complaint following dismissal after significant absences from 2017 to 2019. The judgment records that his claim referred to alcohol dependency and recovery, and that a preliminary hearing had previously clarified the complaints and set case preparation orders for a two-day final hearing.

The respondent had applied to strike out the claim because the claimant had not complied with the preparation orders. The final hearing was converted to a telephone hearing because of Covid 19, and the claimant did not attend either conference call line or respond to a telephone message asking him to join late.

The Tribunal considered adjournment and dismissal under Rule 47. It dismissed the unfair dismissal complaint for non-attendance, finding that the balance of prejudice lay against the claimant. The respondent's oral costs application for approximately £500 was refused because, although failure to comply with orders was unreasonable conduct, the Tribunal had no means of hearing the claimant's reasons and considered a costs order not to be in the interests of justice.