Mr Savio Noronha v Sodexo Limited — 2026

At a public preliminary hearing at Watford on 16 April 2026, Employment Judge Alliott considered whether Mr Noronha's claims were presented out of time, whether it was reasonably practicable for them to have been presented in time, and whether they were presented within a reasonable time thereafter. The claims considered were unfair dismissal and unauthorised deduction of wages/breach of contract.

The tribunal found that Mr Noronha was summarily dismissed on 29 July 2024 at the conclusion of a disciplinary hearing and that this was the effective date of termination, although a later dismissal letter wrongly stated 31 July 2024. The primary limitation date was therefore 28 October 2024. Acas was notified on 10 January 2025, the early conciliation certificate was issued on 15 January 2025, and the claim was presented on 10 February 2025, which the tribunal recorded as three months and two weeks late.

The tribunal found that Mr Noronha contacted the Acas helpline on 1 August 2024 and probably was told about the three-month time limit. Even if he had not been told, the tribunal found that any ignorance of the time limit was unreasonable given his ability to access Acas advice. The tribunal also rejected the argument that he was waiting for the appeal outcome before bringing the claim, finding that he knew on 20 August 2024 that his appeal had failed. It found that later information obtained after securing alternative employment at Heathrow was a catalyst for starting the tribunal claim, but was not crucial information needed to bring it.

The tribunal concluded that stress and financial pressure were not good reasons for the delay, and that it was reasonably practicable for the unfair dismissal and unauthorised deduction of wages/breach of contract claims to have been presented within time. The claims were therefore out of time and were struck out because the tribunal had no jurisdiction to hear them. No remedy was awarded.