Anndriana Lockley v Qin Lan Holdings Pty Ltd

Case [2022] FWC 1573


[2022] FWC 1573

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009

s.394—Unfair dismissal

Anndriana Lockley
v

Qin Lan Holdings Pty Ltd

(U2022/4076)

VICE PRESIDENT CATANZARITI

SYDNEY, 21 JUNE 2022

Application for an unfair dismissal remedy.

  1. Anndriana Lockley (the applicant) was employed by Qin Lan Holdings Pty Ltd from the 23rd of January 2020 until she was dismissed on the 22nd of March 2022.

  1. On the 6th of April 2022, the applicant made an application for a remedy for unfair dismissal under s.394 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (the Act).

  1. A conciliation was scheduled to take place on the 7th of June 2022 at 9:15am. The Applicant did not participate and was not able to be contacted.

  2. On the 8th of June 2022, correspondence was sent to the applicant and was required to respond by the 15th of June 2022 to clarify whether she wished to continue her application against the respondent or not.

  3. On the 16th of June 2022, further correspondence was sent to the applicant directing her to provide a response by 5:00pm on the 20th of June 2022. The applicant was advised that in the absence of a reply, her application may be dismissed.

  1. To date, the applicant has not responded to any of the correspondence that my Chambers has sent to this date.

  1. Section 587 of the Act provides:

587 Dismissing applications

(1) Without limiting when the FWC may dismiss an application, the FWC may dismiss an application if:

(a) the application is not made in accordance with this Act; or

(b) the application is frivolous or vexatious; or

(c) the application has no reasonable prospects of success.

(2) Despite paragraphs (1)(b) and (c), FWC must not dismiss an application under section 365 or 773 on the ground that the application:

(a) is frivolous or vexatious; or

(b) has no reasonable prospects of success.

(3) FWC may dismiss an application:

(a) on its own initiative; or

(b) on application.

  1. The words, “Without limiting when FWC may dismiss an application” at the commencement of s.587(1) of the Act, establish that the jurisdiction of the Commission to dismiss an application is not limited to the circumstances set out in s.587(1)(a), (b) and (c).

  1. In the circumstances I have decided to dismiss the application for want of prosecution pursuant to s.587(3)(a) of the Act.

  1. An order to that effect will issue with this decision.

VICE PRESIDENT

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Details
AGLC
Anndriana Lockley v Qin Lan Holdings Pty Ltd [2022] FWC 1573
Case
[2022] FWC 1573
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

Anndriana Lockley lodged an unfair dismissal claim against Qin Lan Holdings Pty Ltd, seeking remedy under section 394 of the Fair Work Act 2009. The applicant was employed by the respondent from 23 January 2020 until she was dismissed on 22 March 2022. The application was lodged on 6 April 2022, but the applicant did not participate in the scheduled conciliation on 7 June 2022 and could not be contacted. Further correspondence was sent to the applicant on 8 and 16 June 2022, requesting that she clarify whether she wished to continue her application and respond by 15 and 20 June 2022 respectively, but the applicant did not respond. The Vice President was required to determine whether the application should be dismissed for want of prosecution.

The primary issue for the Vice President to consider was whether the application should be dismissed under section 587 of the Fair Work Act 2009. This section outlines the circumstances in which the Fair Work Commission may dismiss an application, including if the application is not made in accordance with the Act, is frivolous or vexatious, or has no reasonable prospects of success. The Vice President found that the words "without limiting when the FWC may dismiss an application" at the commencement of section 587(1) of the Act established that the jurisdiction of the Commission to dismiss an application is not limited to the circumstances set out in section 587(1)(a), (b) and (c). In the circumstances, the Vice President decided to dismiss the application for want of prosecution pursuant to section 587(3)(a) of the Act.

In light of the above, the Vice President dismissed the unfair dismissal application for want of prosecution under section 587(3)(a) of the Fair Work Act 2009. An order to that effect was issued with this decision.

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