REV DR JAMES GEORGE HARGREAVES v Evolve Housing + Support and 2 others — 2022

This was an open preliminary hearing on 1 February 2022 before Employment Judge P Klimov sitting alone. The tribunal considered strike-out and deposit-order applications in two linked cases arising out of the Claimant's suspension in October 2020 and dismissal in February 2021, together with the Claimant's application to add Ms Elspeth Hayde and Mr Jeremy Gray as respondents. The tribunal also recorded that the Claimant had previously brought an earlier tribunal claim in relation to the First Respondent's disciplinary action.

The Claimant's religious belief discrimination complaint against Evolve Housing + Support in the Dismissal Claim was struck out as out of time. The tribunal found that the alleged discriminatory act was the decision to suspend him on 15-16 October 2020, not a continuing act running through to dismissal. It rejected a just and equitable extension of time, finding that the Claimant had the relevant information by Christmas 2020 but did not amend or add the discrimination complaint until July 2021, and that the balance of prejudice favoured the First Respondent.