Claimant v Savour Bakery Café & Patisserie Limited
Outcome
Individual claims
The Claimant's employment was terminated by WhatsApp message on 17 April 2025 with no notice. His contract entitled him to four weeks' notice or payment in lieu. Neither was given. The tribunal calculated he should have received £1,489.62 in notice pay.
Between 1-17 April 2025, the Claimant worked 61.5 hours and was entitled to £750.92. He was paid only £729.28, a shortfall of £12.92. Payment was also made 19 days late. The tribunal found this constituted an unlawful deduction from wages.
The Claimant had accrued 41.8 hours holiday and taken 25.5 hours, leaving 16.3 hours accrued but untaken at termination. At £12.21 per hour, he was entitled to £199 for accrued untaken holiday under regulation 30 Working Time Regulations 1998, which was not paid.
Facts
The Claimant worked as front of house staff at a bakery from December 2024 to April 2025. He was dismissed by WhatsApp message on 17 April 2025 with no notice. He was underpaid £12.92 for his final pay period, which was also paid 19 days late. He had 16.3 hours of accrued but untaken holiday at termination. The Respondent failed to enter a response after two opportunities.
Decision
The tribunal issued a default judgment under rule 22, awarding the Claimant notice pay of £1,489.62 for four weeks' notice not given, holiday pay of £199 for accrued untaken leave, and £12.92 for arrears of wages, totalling £1,701.54.
Practical note
Rule 22 default judgments allow tribunals to determine monetary claims on the papers where a respondent fails to engage, protecting vulnerable workers from summary dismissal and wage theft in the hospitality sector.
Award breakdown
Legal authorities cited
Statutes
Case details
- Case number
- 2500534/2025
- Decision date
- 29 August 2025
- Hearing type
- rule 21
- Hearing days
- —
- Classification
- default
Respondent
- Sector
- hospitality
- Represented
- No
Employment details
- Role
- front of house staff
- Service
- 4 months
Claimant representation
- Represented
- No