Claimant v OVO Energy Ltd
Outcome
Individual claims
The tribunal found the complaint of unfair dismissal to be well-founded and concluded that the claimant was unfairly dismissed. However, the claimant caused or contributed to the dismissal by blameworthy conduct, leading to a one-third reduction in both compensatory and basic awards.
Facts
Mr Ajala was employed by OVO Energy Ltd and was dismissed on 21 December 2023. He brought a claim of unfair dismissal which proceeded to a four-day full merits hearing in July 2025. The claimant was represented by a consultant and the respondent by counsel.
Decision
The tribunal found the dismissal to be unfair but held that the claimant had contributed to his dismissal by blameworthy conduct. Both the basic and compensatory awards were reduced by one third due to contributory fault, resulting in a total award of £19,423.38.
Practical note
Even where unfair dismissal is established, tribunals will apply significant reductions to awards where the claimant's own blameworthy conduct contributed to the dismissal, demonstrating the importance of employee conduct in determining remedy.
Award breakdown
Adjustments
The claimant caused or contributed to the dismissal by blameworthy conduct and it was just and equitable to reduce both the compensatory award and basic award by one third because of the claimant's conduct before the dismissal.
Legal authorities cited
Statutes
Case details
- Case number
- 1401165/2024
- Decision date
- 17 July 2025
- Hearing type
- full merits
- Hearing days
- 4
- Classification
- contested
Respondent
- Name
- OVO Energy Ltd
- Sector
- energy
- Represented
- Yes
- Rep type
- barrister
Claimant representation
- Represented
- Yes
- Rep type
- lay rep