Claimant v Acumen International Media Limited
Outcome
Individual claims
The tribunal determined it did not have jurisdiction to hear the claim because the claimant worked wholly abroad and had not established a sufficiently strong connection to Great Britain or British employment law to afford him protection under the Employment Rights Act 1996.
Facts
The claimant, Aaron McNally, brought an employment claim against his employer Acumen International Media Limited. The tribunal heard a preliminary hearing over two days to determine whether it had jurisdiction. The claimant worked wholly abroad during his employment with the respondent company.
Decision
The tribunal found that while the respondent was the claimant's employer and the claim was in time, it dismissed the entire claim for lack of jurisdiction. The claimant had failed to establish a sufficiently strong connection to Great Britain or British employment law to be afforded protection under the Employment Rights Act 1996 because he worked wholly abroad.
Practical note
Employees who work wholly abroad must demonstrate a sufficiently strong connection to Great Britain to bring claims under UK employment legislation, regardless of who their employer is or where the employer is based.
Legal authorities cited
Statutes
Case details
- Case number
- 2224555/2024
- Decision date
- 24 January 2025
- Hearing type
- preliminary
- Hearing days
- 2
- Classification
- contested
Respondent
- Sector
- media
- Represented
- Yes
- Rep type
- barrister
Claimant representation
- Represented
- Yes
- Rep type
- barrister