Cases1400098/2023

Claimant v Serco Limited

18 January 2024Before Employment Judge J BaxBristolon papers

Outcome

Claimant fails

Individual claims

Equal Pay(sex)dismissed on withdrawal

The claimant withdrew her equal pay claim at a preliminary hearing on 10 August 2023. Under Rules 51 and 52, the tribunal has no power to set aside a notice of withdrawal. The tribunal dismissed the claim upon withdrawal and refused reconsideration as there is no reasonable prospect of resurrecting the claim within the proceedings.

Facts

The claimant withdrew her equal pay claim at a preliminary hearing on 10 August 2023. On 15 December 2023, she applied for reconsideration, stating she had withdrawn the claim in error after taking advice from a barrister. The application was out of time, being made outside the 14-day limit from when the judgment dismissing the claim upon withdrawal was sent to parties on 30 August 2023.

Decision

The tribunal refused the application for reconsideration because there is no reasonable prospect of the judgment being varied or revoked. Under Rules 51 and 52 of the Employment Tribunals Rules of Procedure 2013, once a claim is withdrawn, it is brought to an end and the tribunal must dismiss it. The tribunal has no power to set aside a notice of withdrawal.

Practical note

Employment tribunals have no power to resurrect a claim once it has been withdrawn under Rule 51, even on reconsideration under Rule 70, as withdrawal brings the claim to a definitive end.

Legal authorities cited

Trimble v Supertravel Ltd [1982] ICR 440Khan v Heywood and Middleton Primary Care Trust [2007] ICR 24Outasight VB Ltd v Brown [2015] ICR D11Newcastle Upon Tyne City Council v Marsden [2010] IRLR 743Williams v Ferrosan Ltd [2004] IRLR 607Fforde v Black EAT 68/80

Statutes

Employment Tribunals Rules of Procedure 2013 Rule 52Employment Tribunals Rules of Procedure 2013 Rule 51Employment Tribunals Rules of Procedure 2013 Rule 71Employment Tribunals Rules of Procedure 2013 Rule 70Employment Tribunals Rules of Procedure 2013 Rule 2Employment Tribunals Rules of Procedure 2013 Rule 5Employment Tribunals Rules of Procedure 2013 Rule 72(1)

Case details

Case number
1400098/2023
Decision date
18 January 2024
Hearing type
reconsideration
Hearing days
Classification
procedural

Respondent

Sector
public sector
Represented
No

Claimant representation

Represented
No