A Sweetman v Dcb Group Estates Ltd — 2026

The claim was presented in the Manchester Employment Tribunal on 11 April 2025. The respondent did not present a valid response on time, and Employment Judge M Butler decided that the claim, or part of it, could be determined under rule 22 of the Rules of Procedure.

The tribunal held that the complaint of unauthorised deductions from wages was well-founded. It found that the respondent made an unauthorised deduction from the claimant's wages for the period 13 to 19 January 2025 and ordered the respondent to pay £480.48 gross.

The tribunal also held that the holiday pay complaint was well-founded. It found that the respondent failed to pay the claimant in accordance with regulation 16(1) of the Working Time Regulations 1998 for 40 hours of holiday taken from 20 to 25 January 2025, and ordered payment of £457.60 gross as further unauthorised deductions from wages. It further ordered payment of £915.20 gross for 80 hours of accrued but untaken annual leave on termination.

The total gross sum ordered was £1,853.28. The judgment recorded that the claimant would be responsible for any tax liabilities arising from the gross award if the gross figure was received and tax was not deducted from source. The accompanying notice stated that interest would not be payable if the sum was paid in full within 14 days after 10 June 2026; otherwise interest would accrue from 11 June 2026 at 8% per annum.