Brendon Sneddon v ABN Group (Vic) Pty Ltd

[2021] FWC 6516

[2021] FWC 6516

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009
s.394—Unfair dismissal

Brendon Sneddon
v
ABN Group (Vic) Pty Ltd
(U2021/9871)

COMMISSIONER BISSETT MELBOURNE, 6 DECEMBER 2021

Application for an unfair dismissal remedy

[1] On 3 November 2021 Mr Brendon Sneddon made an application to the Fair Work Commission for a remedy for unfair dismissal pursuant to s.394 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (FW Act). Mr Sneddon alleged he was unfairly dismissed by ABN Group (Vic) Pty Ltd (the Respondent) on 14 October 2021

[2] The application was incomplete in that Mr Sneddon did not pay the required fee or file a completed waiver form.

[3] On 10 November 2021 the Commission attempted to contact Mr Sneddon on his nominated telephone number to discuss payment of the required fee. However, Mr Sneddon did not answer the call. A voicemail message was left requesting Mr Sneddon contact the Commission to process the application fee.

[4] Later that day, the Commission emailed correspondence to Mr Sneddon’s nominated email address advising that his application required payment of the filing fee or a completed waiver form if he wished to proceed with the application. That correspondence also warned that if payment was not made or a waiver form was not received within 14 days, the application may be dismissed.

[5] A final attempt to contact Mr Sneddon was made by the Commission on 24 November 2021, to obtain payment or a completed waiver form. Mr Sneddon advised had not received email correspondence from the Commission and was unaware of the 14 day timeframe. The Commission advised Mr Sneddon he was required to pay the fee or complete a waiver application by end of business 25 November 2021 or the matter would be referred to Member and may be dismissed. Mr Sneddon confirmed understanding of what had been advised.

[6] To date there has been no response from Mr Sneddon, the required fee has not been paid and a completed waiver form has not been received.

[7] Section 395 of the FW Act, which deals with application fees, provides as follows:

395 Application fees

(1) An application to the FWC under this Division must be accompanied by any fee prescribed by the regulations.

(2) The regulations may prescribe:

(a) a fee for making an application to the FWC under this Division; and

(b) a method for indexing the fee; and

(c) the circumstances in which all or part of the fee may be waived or refunded.

[8] Section 587(1) of the FW 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 prospect of success.

[9] Having regard to the circumstances of this matter, I am satisfied that as the application was not accompanied by the fee prescribed by the FW Act, the application was not made in accordance with the FW Act. As such, the application is dismissed pursuant to s.587(1)(a) of the FW Act. An order 1 to this effect will be issued with this decision.

COMMISSIONER

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