Tracy Arbuckle v RDNS Homecare Ltd T/A Your Choice Homecare

[2020] FWC 4229

[2020] FWC 4229

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009
s.394—Unfair dismissal

Tracy Arbuckle
v
RDNS Homecare Ltd T/A Your Choice Homecare
(U2020/10055)

COMMISSIONER BISSETT MELBOURNE, 11 AUGUST 2020

Application for an unfair dismissal remedy.

[1] On 22 July 2020 Ms Tracy Arbuckle 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 was incomplete in that Ms Arbuckle did not pay the required fee or file a completed waiver form.

[3] On 23 July 2020 the Commission attempted to contact Ms Arbuckle on her nominated telephone number to discuss payment of the required fee however, Ms Arbuckle did not answer the call and there was no option to leave a voice message.

[4] Later that day, the Commission emailed correspondence to Ms Arbuckle’s nominated email address advising that her application required payment of the filing fee or a completed waiver form if she wished to proceed with the application. That correspondence also warned that if payment is not made or a waiver form is not received within 14 days, the application may be dismissed.

[5] A final attempt to contact Ms Arbuckle was made by the Commission on 4 August 2020, to obtain payment or a completed waiver form. The call was not answered and there was no option to leave a voice message again.

[6] To date there has been no response from Ms Arbuckle, the required fee has not been paid and a completed waiver form has not been received.

[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:

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.

[9] 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

Printed by authority of the Commonwealth Government Printer

<PR721751>

 1   PR721752.