In person For the v Ken Read & Son Ltd (in Administration) — 2024

The Claimant, employed by the Respondent from 25 January 2000 until 16 June 2023 latterly as Shift Manager, was given notice on 2 June 2023 that his employment would end on 16 June 2023, the same day the Respondent company went into administration. The Administrator consented to the proceedings continuing under the Insolvency Act 1986, and the Respondent did not submit a Response and did not attend the hearing. The Tribunal found the Claimant was unfairly dismissed because he was dismissed without warning and without any prior consultation or discussion, although it also found that, had proper consultation taken place, he would have been fairly dismissed on the ground of redundancy on 16 June 2023.

On the unpaid wages claim, the Tribunal found the Claimant was not paid for the last week he worked or for the two weeks between 2 and 16 June 2023, and that his pension contributions for the last month (£60 employee and £80 employer) were not paid to the Pension Service, giving a total of £1,730. For unfair dismissal, the Tribunal held that an appropriate consultation period would have been two weeks and awarded two weeks' pay of £1,060 as compensation.

The Claimant's complaints of breach of contract and for a redundancy payment were dismissed on withdrawal, having been satisfied by the Government Insolvency Service. The total sum awarded to the Claimant was £2,790.