Megan Jordaan v Randstad

Case [2023] FWC 1467


[2023] FWC 1467

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009

s.394—Unfair dismissal

Megan Jordaan
v

Randstad

(U2023/3419)

VICE PRESIDENT CATANZARITI

SYDNEY, 21 JUNE 2023

Application for an unfair dismissal remedy.

  1. Megan Jordaan (the applicant) began employment with Randstad (the respondent) on the 16th of September 2020. The respondent claims that the applicant was never dismissed.

  2. On the 20th of April 2023, the applicant made an application for a remedy for unfair dismissal under s.394 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (the Act).

  3. The legal business name nominated by the respondent in their F3 – Employer’s Response Form in this matter was Randstad Pty Limited.

  4. On the 30th of May 2023, correspondence was sent to the applicant in relation to the legal business name discrepancy and she was required to respond by the 6th of June 2023. No response was received at this time.

  5. Further correspondence was sent to the applicant on the 7th of June 2023 and she was required to respond by the 12th of June 2023 at 5:00pm. It was in this correspondence the applicant was notified that if no response was received, her application would be dismissed without any further notice.

  6. To date, the applicant has not responded to any of the correspondence sent by my Chambers.

  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
Megan Jordaan v Randstad [2023] FWC 1467
Case
[2023] FWC 1467
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

Megan Jordaan brought an unfair dismissal claim against Randstad before the Fair Work Commission, seeking a remedy under section 394 of the Fair Work Act 2009. Jordaan alleged that she was dismissed by Randstad on 20 April 2023. Randstad disputed the dismissal and maintained that Jordaan was never dismissed from her employment. The Commission was tasked with determining whether Jordaan was unfairly dismissed and if so, what remedy, if any, should be granted.

The key issue for the Fair Work Commission to decide was whether the application for an unfair dismissal remedy was to be dismissed for want of prosecution. This issue arose because Jordaan did not respond to correspondence from the Commission regarding a discrepancy in the legal business name of the respondent and failed to respond to subsequent notices requiring her to address the issue. Section 587 of the Act provides the Commission with the authority to dismiss an application if it is not made in accordance with the Act, is frivolous or vexatious, or has no reasonable prospects of success. The Commission found that Jordaan's failure to respond to correspondence from the Commission warranted the dismissal of her application under section 587(3)(a) of the Act.

The Fair Work Commission dismissed Jordaan's application for an unfair dismissal remedy for want of prosecution. The Commission held that Jordaan's failure to respond to correspondence regarding the discrepancy in the legal business name of the respondent and her failure to respond to subsequent notices requiring her to address the issue, amounted to the application not being made in accordance with the Act. The Commission concluded that the application had no reasonable prospects of success and dismissed it accordingly. An order to that effect will issue with this decision.

Orders

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Background

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