[2025] FWC 1149
General information, not legal advice.
Fair Work Commission
2025-04-24
Original judgment source is linked above.
s.394 - Unfair dismissal
Application for relief from unfair dismissal - not genuine redundancy - dismissal not consistent with small business fair dismissal code - valid reason - no procedural fairness - unfair dismissal - superannuation contribution ordered.
Mr Wilson represented himself at the hearing. Mr Burgess represented FNW Grafton.
(a) whether the application was made within the period required in subsection 394(2);
(b) whether the person was protected from unfair dismissal;
(c) whether the dismissal was consistent with the SBFDC;
(d) whether the dismissal was a case of genuine redundancy.
Was Mr Wilson a person protected from unfair dismissal?
(a) the person is an employee who has completed a period of employment with his or her employer of at least the minimum employment period; and
(ii) an enterprise agreement applies to the person in relation to the employment;
(iii) the sum of the person's annual rate of earnings, and such other amounts (if any) worked out in relation to the person in accordance with the regulations, is less than the high-income threshold.
(a) whether there was a valid reason for the dismissal related to the person's capacity or conduct (including its effect on the safety and welfare of other employees); and
(b) whether the person was notified of that reason; and
(c) whether the person was given an opportunity to respond to any reason related to the capacity or conduct of the person; and
(d) any unreasonable refusal by the employer to allow the person to have a support person present to assist at any discussions relating to dismissal; and
(e) if the dismissal related to unsatisfactory performance by the person - whether the person had been warned about that unsatisfactory performance before the dismissal; and
(f) the degree to which the size of the employer's enterprise would be likely to impact on the procedures followed in effecting the dismissal; and
(g) the degree to which the absence of dedicated human resource management specialists or expertise in the enterprise would be likely to impact on the procedures followed in effecting the dismissal; and
(h) any other matters that the FWC considers relevant.
Was there a valid reason for dismissal related to Mr Wilson's capacity or conduct?
"... goes beyond the physical or skill capacity of the employee and encompasses situations where the employees do not have or maintain the necessary licence, certification, qualification, approval or accreditation to lawfully perform the inherent requirements of their job. Where an employee cannot perform the inherent requirements of their job and there is no reasonable scope for the employee to be redeployed into another role, it is likely that there will be a valid reason for dismissal based on the employee's capacity."[6]
Was Mr Wilson notified of the reason for dismissal?
Was Mr Wilson given an opportunity to respond to the valid reason?
Did FNW Grafton unreasonably refuse to allow Mr Wilson to have a support person present to assist at discussions relating to the dismissal?
Was Mr Wilson warned about unsatisfactory performance before the dismissal?
To what degree would the size of FNW Grafton's enterprise be likely to impact on the procedures followed in effecting the dismissal?
To what degree would the absence of dedicated human resource management specialists or expertise in FNW Grafton's enterprise be likely to impact on the procedures followed in effecting the dismissal?
Is an order for payment of compensation appropriate in all the circumstances of the case?
Compensation - what must be taken into account in determining an amount?
(a) the effect of the order on the viability of FNW Grafton's enterprise;
(c) the remuneration that Mr Wilson would have received, or would have been likely to receive, if Mr Wilson had not been dismissed;
(d) the efforts of Mr Wilson (if any) to mitigate the loss suffered by Mr Wilson because of the dismissal;
(e) the amount of any remuneration earned by Mr Wilson from employment or other work during the period between the dismissal and the making of the order for compensation;
(f) the amount of any income reasonably likely to be so earned by Mr Wilson during the period between the making of the order for compensation and the actual compensation; and
(g) any other matter that the Commission considers relevant.
Effect of the order on the viability of FNW Grafton's enterprise
Remuneration that Mr Wilson would have received, or would have been likely to receive, if he had not been dismissed
Efforts of Mr Wilson to mitigate loss suffered because of the dismissal
Amount of remuneration earned by Mr Wilson from employment or other work during the period between the dismissal and the making of the order for compensation
Amount of income reasonably likely to be so earned by Mr Wilson during the period between the making of the order for compensation and the actual compensation
Step 1: Estimate the remuneration the employee would have received, or have been likely to have received, if the employer had not terminated the employment (remuneration lost).
Step 2: Deduct monies earned since termination. Workers' compensation payments are deducted but not social security payments. The failure to mitigate loss may lead to a reduction in the amount of compensation ordered.
Step 3: Discount the remaining amount for contingencies.
Step 4: Calculate the impact of taxation to ensure that the employee receives the actual amount he or she would have received if they had continued in their employment.
Compensation - is the amount to be reduced on account of misconduct?
Compensation - how does the compensation cap apply?

[1] "Small business employers" are excluded from the obligation to pay redundancy pay under the NES: s.121(1) of the FW Act.
[2] Sayer v Melsteel Pty Ltd [2011] FWAFB 7498, [14]; Smith v Moore Paragon Australia Ltd PR915674 (AIRCFB, Ross VP, Lacy SDP, Simmonds C, 21 March 2002), [69].
[3] Selvachandran v Peteron Plastics Pty Ltd [1995] IRCA 333; (1995) 62 IR 371, 373.
[5] Walton v Mermaid Dry Cleaners Pty Ltd [1996] IRCA 267; (1996) 142 ALR 681, 685.
[6] DA v Baptist Care SA [2020] FWCFB 6046, [28].
[8] For example, UES (Int'l) Pty Ltd v Leevan Harvey [2012] FWAFB 5241, Acton SDP and Bissett C, [33].
[9] Bartlett v Ingleburn Bus Services Pty Ltd [2020] FWCFB 6429, [19]; Reseigh v Stegbar Pty Ltd [2020] FWCFB 533, [55].
[10] Crozier v Palazzo Corporation Pty Ltd (2000) 98 IR 137, 151.
[11] Previsic v Australian Quarantine Inspection Services Print Q3730 (AIRC, Holmes C, 6 October 1998).
[13] Crozier v Palazzo Corporation Pty Ltd t/a Noble Park Storage and Transport Print S5897 (AIRCFB, Ross VP, Acton SDP, Cribb C, 11 May 2000), [75].
[14] RMIT v Asher [2010] FWAFB 1200; (2010) 194 IR 1, 14-15.
[15] Gibson v Bosmac Pty Ltd [1995] IRCA 222; (1995) 60 IR 1, 7.
[16] ALH Group Pty Ltd t/a The Royal Exchange Hotel v Mulhall (2002) 117 IR 357, [51]. See also Smith v Moore Paragon Australia Ltd PR915674 (AIRCFB, Ross VP, Lacy SDP, Simmonds C, 21 March 2002), [92]; Edwards v Justice Giudice [1999] FCA 1836, [6]-[7].
[17] Nguyen v Vietnamese Community in Australia t/a Vietnamese Community Ethnic School South Australia Chapter [2014] FWCFB 7198, [9].
[18] Vennix v Mayfield Childcare Ltd [2020] FWCFB 550, [20]; Jeffrey v IBM Australia Ltd [2015] FWCFB 4171, [5]-[7].
[19] He v Lewin [2004] FCAFC 161, [58].
[20] Ellawala v Australian Postal Corporation Print S5109 (AIRCFB, Ross VP, Williams SDP, Gay C, 17 April 2000), [34].
[22] Biviano v Suji Kim Collection PR915963 (AIRCFB, Ross VP, O'Callaghan SDP, Foggo C, 28 March 2002), [34] citing Payzu Ltd v Saunders [1919] 2 KB 581.
[23] 'List of payments that are ordinary time earnings', Australian Taxation Office (Web Page, 5 November 2024) .
[26] Double N Equipment Hire Pty Ltd t/a A1 Distributions v Humphries [2016] FWCFB 7206, [16].
[29] Double N Equipment Hire Pty Ltd t/a A1 Distributions v Humphries [2016] FWCFB 7206, [17].
Printed by authority of the Commonwealth Government Printer
Jesse Wilson
FNW Grafton Pty Ltd [2025] FWC 1149
(1995) 62 IR 371
(1996) 142 ALR 681
(1995) 60 IR 1
(2002) 117 IR 357
(1998) 88 IR 21
(2000) 98 IR 137
(2010) 194 IR 1