Stanley Man Yeung Siu v Uber Australia Pty Ltd

Case [2023] FWC 3310


[2023] FWC 3310

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009

s.394—Unfair dismissal

Stanley Man Yeung Siu
v

Uber Australia Pty Ltd

(U2023/8703)

VICE PRESIDENT CATANZARITI

SYDNEY, 12 DECEMBER 2023

Application for an unfair dismissal remedy

  1. Stanley Man Yeung Siu (the Applicant) alleged he was employed by Uber Australia Pty Ltd (the Respondent) from October 2018 until his employment ended on 4 September 2023.

  1. On 12 September 2023, the Applicant made an application for a remedy for unfair dismissal under s.394 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (the Act).

  1. The legal business name nominated by the respondent in their F3 – Employer’s Response Form in this matter was Rasier Pacific Pty Ltd.

  1. The Respondent also raised an objection in the F3 – Employer’s Response Form stating that the Applicant was not an employee and not dismissed.

  1. On 22 November 2023, correspondence was sent to the Applicant in relation to the legal name of the respondent and he was required to respond by 30 November 2023. No response was received at this time.

  1. Further correspondence was sent to the Applicant on 4 December 2023 and he was required to respond by 5:00pm on 8 December 2023. It was in this correspondence that the Applicant was advised his application would be dismissed without any notice if no response was received.

  1. 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.

Note:   For another power of the FWC to dismiss an application for a remedy for unfair dismissal made under Division 5 of Part 3 2, see section 399A.

(2)       Despite paragraphs (1)(b) and (c), the 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)       The 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

Printed by authority of the Commonwealth Government Printer

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Details
AGLC
Stanley Man Yeung Siu v Uber Australia Pty Ltd [2023] FWC 3310
Case
[2023] FWC 3310
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

Stanley Man Yeung Siu has made an application to the Fair Work Commission for a remedy for unfair dismissal against Uber Australia Pty Ltd. The Applicant claims that he was employed by the Respondent from October 2018 until his employment ended on 4 September 2023. The Respondent has objected to the application on the basis that the Applicant was not an employee and therefore was not dismissed. The legal name of the Respondent as nominated in their response to the application is Rasier Pacific Pty Ltd. The Applicant has been required to respond to correspondence from the Commission but has not done so, resulting in the application being dismissed for want of prosecution.

The key legal issue before the Commission was whether the application should be dismissed for want of prosecution due to the Applicant's failure to respond to correspondence from the Commission. The Commission considered section 587 of the Fair Work Act 2009, which provides that the Commission may 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 the Applicant's failure to respond to correspondence from the Commission meant that his application had no reasonable prospects of success. Therefore, the application was dismissed for want of prosecution.

The Fair Work Commission dismissed the application for unfair dismissal made by Stanley Man Yeung Siu against Uber Australia Pty Ltd for want of prosecution. The Commission found that the Applicant had failed to respond to correspondence from the Commission, meaning his application had no reasonable prospects of success. An order to that effect will issue with this decision.

No further orders were made by the Commission.

Orders

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Background

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