Mr P Field v Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy R1 Ashyfield Limited (In Liquidation) R2 — 2023

The case was heard at London South (Croydon) via CVP on 26 January 2023 before Employment Judge Wright. The claimant did not attend. The first respondent also did not attend. The judgment records that the claimant had applied on 16 January 2023 for a postponement to allow more time to prepare, and that the first respondent agreed with that application for the reasons the claimant had given. The application was refused. The tribunal also recorded that the first respondent later said it had informed the claimant on 5 January 2023 that his representative was involved in another hearing on 27 January 2023 at the London East Tribunal.

The tribunal referred to Rules 42 and 47 of the Employment Tribunals Rules of Procedure. It noted that no written representations had been provided. It considered the available information about the claimant’s absence and found there was no reasonable explanation for non-attendance at a video hearing listed for two hours.

In view of those circumstances and the claimant’s non-attendance, the tribunal dismissed the claim. No merits findings or monetary award are recorded in the judgment.