In person (assisted by her mother Mrs Leslie Pole) For the v Ms C Bajwa — 2023

The tribunal, sitting alone, allowed the respondent to participate despite the response having been rejected. The respondent said the claimant's contract ended in December 2021 on a month's notice expiring at the end of January 2022, while the claimant said she had been paid to the end of January 2022. The respondent also said that after that point the claimant worked as a 'freelance' groom rather than under the apprenticeship contract.

The tribunal accepted the respondent's position because it was to the claimant's benefit. Under the apprenticeship contract the claimant had been paid the apprentice rate of £4.30 per hour, but as a 'freelance' worker she would have been entitled to the development rate for 18 to 20-year-olds of £6.56 per hour. The tribunal found that the claimant worked 3.5 days between 1 and 4 February 2022, amounting to 26.75 hours, and that she was not paid for that work.

On that basis the tribunal held that the respondent had made unauthorised deductions from wages and/or was in breach of contract. It calculated the sum due as 26.75 hours at £6.56 per hour, producing a gross award of £175.48. The claimant confirmed that she was not pursuing statutory sick pay, holiday pay, or notice pay.