Jonathan Williams v NT Shade and Canvas Pty Ltd

[2021] FWC 4540

[2021] FWC 4540

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009
s.394—Unfair dismissal

Jonathan Williams
v
NT Shade and Canvas Pty Ltd
(U2021/5907)

COMMISSIONER BISSETT MELBOURNE, 27 JULY 2021

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

[1] On 6 July 2021, Mr Jonathan Williams 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).

[2] The application form filed by Mr Williams was incomplete in that he did not provide the commencement date of employment and did not pay the required fee or file a completed waiver form.

[3] On 7 July 2021, the Commission attempted to contact Mr Williams on his nominated telephone number to request the missing details. Mr Williams did not answer the call. A voicemail message was left requesting that Mr Williams provide the commencement date of employment and provide the answer to Question 6 on his incomplete waiver form.

[4] Later that day, the Commission attempted to email correspondence to Mr Williams’ nominated email address requesting that he provide further details as the application was incomplete and that he would need to provide the commencement date of employment and provide a complete payment waiver form or pay the filing fee. That correspondence also advised that if the information was not provided within 14 days, the application may be dismissed. However, the email address provided was invalid and the email correspondence was not delivered. On the same day, the Commission attempted to telephone Mr Williams a second time to obtain a valid email address. Mr Williams did not answer the call. A voicemail was left asking Mr Williams to contact the Commission to provide a valid email address. An SMS notification was also sent to Mr Williams’s nominated telephone number, requesting that he contact the Commission.

[5] As the required information was not received, on 19 July 2021 the Commission attempted to contact Mr Williams on his nominated telephone number. A voicemail message was left requesting Mr Williams provide the commencement date of employment and provide a completed payment waiver form or pay the filing fee.

[6] To date, no response has been received and Mr Williams has not provided the necessary details as requested.

[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 as follows:

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] In these circumstances, I have determined that the application was not made in accordance with the FW Act.

[10] As such, the application is dismissed under s.587(1)(a) of the FW Act. An order 1 to this effect will be issued shortly

COMMISSIONER

Printed by authority of the Commonwealth Government Printer

<PR732207>

 1   PR732208