Shafiqul Azam v Aruma

[2022] FWC 1062

[2022] FWC 1062

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009

s.394 - Application for unfair dismissal remedy

Shafiqul Azam
v

Aruma

(U2022/4299)

COMMISSIONER BISSETT MELBOURNE, 6 MAY 2022

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

1. On 12 April 2022, Mr Shafiqul Azam 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 the required fee was not paid or a completed waiver form filed. On the Form F2, the Commission was instructed to obtain payment from Mr Azam’s representative, Elise Esquenazi of the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU).

1. On 13 May 2022, the Commission attempted to contact Ms Esquenazi on her nominated telephone number to discuss payment of the required fee. Ms Esquenazi did not answer the call. A voicemail message was left requesting she contact the Commission to obtain payment.

1. Later that day, the Commission emailed correspondence to both Mr Azam and Ms Esquenazi that the application required payment of the filing fee or a completed waiver form if they 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. An SMS message was also sent to both Mr Azam and Ms Esquenazi requesting they contact the Commission.

1. A final attempt to contact Mr Esquenazi was made by the Commission on 27 April 2022 to obtain payment or a completed waiver form. The call was not answered, and a voicemail message was left advising her that payment of the required fee was still outstanding.

1. To date there has been no response from Mr Azam or Ms Esquenazi, 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.

1. 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 shortly.

COMMISSIONER

[1] PR741331.

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