David Thomas Howard v Workforce Solutions

[2022] FWC 1654

[2022] FWC 1654

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009

s.394—Unfair dismissal

David Thomas Howard
v

Workforce Solutions

(U2022/6156)

COMMISSIONER o’neill MELBOURNE, 28 JUNE 2022

Application for an unfair dismissal remedy – unpaid application – dismissal under s.587 at the Commission’s initiative.

1. On 9 June 2022 Mr David Thomas Howard 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).

1. The application was incomplete in that Mr Howard did not pay the required fee or file a completed waiver form.

1. On 9 June 2022 the Commission attempted to contact Mr Howard on his nominated telephone number to discuss payment of the required fee however, Mr Howard did not answer the call and there was not an option to leave a voicemail message.

1. Later that day, the Commission emailed correspondence to Mr Howard’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 warned that if payment was not made or a waiver form was not received within 14 days, the application may be dismissed. An SMS was also sent to Mr Howard’s nominated telephone number, advising that there was a problem with his application and requesting he contact the Commission.

1. A final attempt to contact Mr Howard was made by the Commission on 21 June 2022 to obtain payment or a completed waiver form. The call was not answered, and a voicemail message was left advising Mr Howard that payment of the required fee was still outstanding.

1. To date there has been no response from Mr Howard, the required fee has not been paid and a completed waiver form has not been received.

1. 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.

1. 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.

2. 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

[1] PR743113.

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