Claimant v Dr Julie Michelle Harrison & Partners t/a Portland Medical Practice
Outcome
Individual claims
This was a preliminary hearing on the claimant's application to strike out the response. The tribunal refused the strike-out application, allowing the respondent to continue defending the pregnancy/maternity discrimination claim.
This was a preliminary hearing on the claimant's application to strike out the response. The tribunal refused the strike-out application, allowing the respondent to continue defending the marriage discrimination claim.
This was a preliminary hearing on the claimant's application to strike out the response. The tribunal refused the strike-out application, allowing the respondent to continue defending the victimisation claim.
Facts
The claimant brought claims of pregnancy/maternity discrimination, marriage discrimination and victimisation against her former employer, a medical practice partnership. At a preliminary hearing, the claimant applied to strike out the respondent's response under Rule 38(1). The respondent was represented by a solicitor while the claimant represented herself.
Decision
The tribunal refused the claimant's application to strike out the response, allowing the respondent to continue defending all claims. However, the tribunal ordered the respondent to pay the claimant a preparation time order of £360 (8 hours at £45 per hour) within 30 days.
Practical note
A claimant's application to strike out a response at a preliminary hearing will not succeed without substantial grounds, but tribunals may still award preparation time orders where a party has caused unnecessary preparation costs.
Case details
- Case number
- 1305720/2024
- Decision date
- 14 August 2025
- Hearing type
- preliminary
- Hearing days
- 1
- Classification
- contested
Respondent
- Sector
- healthcare
- Represented
- Yes
- Rep type
- solicitor
Claimant representation
- Represented
- No