Mr M J Wetherell v Single Source Regulations Office — 2025

The Claimant, Mr M J Wetherell, brought complaints of unfair dismissal (actual or constructive) and indirect age discrimination against the Single Source Regulations Office arising out of a regrading exercise that affected his role. The matter was heard by Employment Judge Woodhead sitting alone by CVP at Central London Tribunal over four days in July 2025, with judgment reserved and originally sent on 29 September 2025. The judgment was subsequently corrected under Rule 67 and made subject to a Rule 49 order on 6 October 2025 to remove personal data of non-parties referenced at paragraph 65.

On the unfair dismissal complaint, the tribunal found the complaint was not well-founded and dismissed it; the Claimant was not unfairly dismissed. On the indirect age discrimination complaint under s.19 Equality Act 2010, the tribunal accepted that the Respondent applied a PCP of re-grading employees but found that the PCP was a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim, namely ensuring that job roles were assigned pay bandings based on a rational and objective job evaluation methodology and avoiding the indefinite continuation of pay disparities identified by that methodology, including managing equal pay risk. The complaint was therefore also dismissed.

The tribunal noted that the Respondent's process included independent expert review (the Beamans review), consultation, appeal rights including a further opportunity to appeal in October 2023, two years' pay protection, and attempts to negotiate with the Claimant. The tribunal recorded that every other negatively affected employee agreed to revised terms, and that the Claimant had identified no less disadvantageous alternative that would have achieved the Respondent's legitimate aim.