Cases3314706/2023

Claimant v Amazon UK Services Limited

22 August 2025Before Employment Judge HyamsWatfordremote video

Outcome

Claimant fails

Individual claims

Unfair Dismissalstruck out

Claimant was employed by the second respondent only, not the first respondent. The tribunal found no basis for dual employment applying Cairns v Visteon and Patel v Specsavers. Additionally, the claimant had less than 2 years' continuous employment required for unfair dismissal under s.98 ERA 1996.

Facts

The claimant was employed by the second respondent (Challenge-TRG Recruitment Limited) and brought an unfair dismissal claim against the first respondent (Amazon UK Services Limited). The claimant sought to argue she was employed by both entities. She had less than 2 years' continuous employment.

Decision

The tribunal struck out the unfair dismissal claim against Amazon on the basis that the claimant was only employed by the recruitment agency, not Amazon, applying established case law that an employee cannot have two employers for the same job. Additionally, the claimant lacked the required 2 years' service for an unfair dismissal claim.

Practical note

Agency workers placed at an end-user's site remain employees of the agency only, and cannot bring unfair dismissal claims against the end-user unless there is something unusual to establish dual employment.

Legal authorities cited

Cairns v Visteon UK Ltd [2007] ICR 616Patel v Specsavers Optical Group Limited UKEAT/0286/18/JOJ

Statutes

ERA 1996 s.98

Case details

Case number
3314706/2023
Decision date
22 August 2025
Hearing type
strike out
Hearing days
1
Classification
procedural

Respondent

Sector
retail
Represented
Yes
Rep type
barrister

Claimant representation

Represented
No