Ms Bridget Lock v The Chiltern Brewery Company Limited — 2024

This was a preliminary hearing by CVP on 18 February 2025 before Employment Judge Cowen. The claimant did not attend. The tribunal had previously listed the case for a preliminary hearing on 30 October 2024, that hearing had been postponed, and a further notice dated 13 November 2024 informed the parties that the February hearing would proceed by CVP. On the morning of the hearing the tribunal emailed the claimant a telephone number so that she could join, and the hearing was adjourned briefly to allow time for her to receive the email and connect. She did not join and gave no explanation for her absence.

The respondent’s counsel said the respondent’s solicitor had also tried to contact the claimant before the hearing without success, and that she had not engaged in agreeing the list of issues ordered on 3 September 2024. The tribunal concluded that this was the second time the claimant had failed to attend a hearing intended to consider and advance the claim, and that she had had notice of the hearing since November 2024 without indicating any inability to attend.

Taking account of the overriding objective in rule 3 of the Employment Tribunal Rules 2024, including avoiding delay and saving expense, the tribunal dismissed the claim under rule 47 on the basis that the claimant had failed to attend the hearing and was therefore failing to pursue her claim. The tribunal noted that if she had reasons for not attending, she could apply for reconsideration under rule 69 with written reasons and supporting evidence, including medical evidence if appropriate. No merits findings or monetary award were made.