In Metrobus Ltd v Cook EAT/0490/06, the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has held that an employment tribunal did not err in increasing the amount of unfair dismissal compensation by 40% where an employer had failed to follow the statutory disciplinary and dismissal procedure.
In Fraser v HLMAD Ltd [2006] IRLR 687 CA, the Court of Appeal holds that claimants who bring claims for wrongful dismissal in the employment tribunal, where a statutory limit on damages of £25,000 applies, cannot recover losses in excess of this limit in the High Court.
In Scope v Thornett [2007] IRLR 155 CA, the Court of Appeal has stressed that employment tribunals are permitted to make reductions in the amount of compensation awarded for future loss of earnings where this involves speculation.
In Lawson v Serco Ltd; Botham v Ministry of Defence; Crofts and others v Veta Ltd and others [2006] IRLR 289 HL, the House of Lords holds that employees will be entitled to claim unfair dismissal if working or based in Great Britain at the time of the dismissal. An employee posted abroad but retaining a strong connection with Great Britain may also be able to bring a claim.
In Alexander and another v Bridgen Enterprises Ltd [2006] IRLR 422 EAT, the Employment Appeal Tribunal holds that two employees were automatically unfairly dismissed in breach of the statutory dismissal procedure because the employer had not provided sufficient information about their selection for redundancy in advance of the dismissal meeting.
In Leicestershire County Council v Unison [2006] IRLR 810 CA, the Court of Appeal holds that a tribunal was entitled to make the maximum protective award in respect of a group of employees who had been dismissed and offered new terms without consultation with the relevant unions.
In Brash-Hall v Getty Images Ltd [2006] EWCA Civ 531 CA, the Court of Appeal holds that an employee dismissed in circumstances that amounted to sex discrimination, but who would have subsequently been dismissed for redundancy in any event, was not entitled to recover compensation reflecting an enhanced redundancy package.
IRS Employment Review looks at decisions on procedural points that have arisen in the EAT and Court of Appeal in the time since its last procedural round-up in December 2005.