Mr A Orabi v Selina Management Company UK Ltd — 2025

Mr A Orabi was employed by Selina Management Company UK Limited from 8 July 2019 to 31 May 2024 as Country Finance Director, on an annual salary of £80,000 with health insurance, a 3% employer pension contribution and three months' contractual notice. The respondent did not file an ET3 and did not attend the 30 September 2025 hearing, so the tribunal proceeded in its absence. The employment dispute followed the theft of the claimant's personal laptop in August 2023, a consequential loss from the respondent's German bank account, a disciplinary process, sickness absence, dismissal on 31 May 2024 and an unsuccessful appeal.

The tribunal held that the respondent had not shown a fair reason for dismissal, so the unfair dismissal claim succeeded. It also held that the respondent had not shown the claimant was in repudiatory breach of contract, so the notice pay claim succeeded. The judge explained that, because this was not a discrimination claim, the tribunal had no jurisdiction to award distress, inconvenience, reputational harm, injury to feelings or injury to health.

On remedy, the tribunal accepted the claimant's evidence on mitigation, found no contributory fault and made no Polkey deduction. It awarded a basic award of £3,500 and a compensatory award for unfair dismissal, together with £20,000 for notice pay, £20,681.69 for accrued but untaken holiday, and £333.44 for expenses. The order recorded a total award of £77,444.49, with the first £30,000 of the unfair-dismissal compensation payable without deduction and the balance to be taxed as directed.