Management consultancy Eyekon Services has been ordered to pay a former employee £8,980 after an employment tribunal found him to have been unfairly dismissed.
A Rodgers worked as a cleaner and caretaker from June 2002 for a firm that was taken over by Glasgow-based Eyekon Services last year. Rodgers worked 37.5 hours per week with a take home pay of £1,363.
On 9 September 2022, Rodgers was fired with immediate effect. The tribunal ruled that Rodgers was unfairly dismissed, as there was no consultation or discussion prior to his dismissal, and found that Eyekon Services made no attempt to engage with him or consider alternatives.
Regarding a basic award, which is intended to mirror a redundancy payment, the tribunal ruled that Rodgers was entitled to £5,490 given his service and income.
The tribunal took into account a 10-week period where Rodgers was without work before securing a new job, and awarded a compensatory payment of £3,140, which works out at 10 weeks’ worth of his weekly pay. Rodgers was also awarded £350 in respect of loss of statutory rights, resulting in a total compensatory award of £3,490.
Employment judge D Hoey said in the ruling: “His dismissal was unfair. There was no evidence that following a fair procedure would have resulted in his dismissal occurring in any event or within any period thereafter, the claimant’s job continuing to exist. He was therefore unfairly dismissed.
“The claimant did not seek any statutory benefits and so the recoupment regulations do not apply. The award is made in terms of the claimant’s unfair dismissal and his claim for a redundancy payment is dismissed.”
Eyekon Services was contacted for comment prior to publication.