Miss A Palmer v Respondent — 2025

This was listed for a final evidential remedies hearing on 20 February 2025. The claimant did not attend. A solicitor who had appeared at the previous hearing on 17 December 2024 attended as a courtesy and told the tribunal that he had been unable to secure instructions from the claimant despite efforts to do so, and that he was not representing her on the day.

The tribunal recorded that there was no direct communication from the claimant indicating that she wished to continue pursuing the case. It considered Rule 47 of the Employment Tribunal Procedure Rules of Procedure 2024 and noted that, where a party does not appear, the tribunal may dismiss the claim or proceed in absence after considering any information available. The tribunal was satisfied that no further practical enquiries were available and that the claimant’s attendance was required for evidential purposes at the remedies hearing.

Although the respondent had not presented an ET3 and was not present or represented, the tribunal concluded that the appropriate course was to dismiss the claim. The judgment therefore records dismissal of the claimant’s case on procedural grounds arising from her non-attendance, rather than any determination on the merits of the underlying whistleblowing and race discrimination allegations.