Angus Barnsley v AON Corporation Australia Limited [2025] FWC 3597

1 Fair Work Act 2009 s.394—Unfair dismissal Angus Barnsley v AON Corporation Australia Limited (U2025/15268) DEPUTY PRESIDENT EASTON SYDNEY, 27 NOVEMBER 2025 Application for an unfair dismissal remedy remedy – minimum employment period – dismissal under s.587(1)(c) at the Commission’s initiative - application has no reasonable prospects of success. [1] On 19 September 2025, Mr Angus Barnsley made an unfair dismissal application to the Fair Work Commission under s.394 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth). [2] For the following reasons I am satisfied that Mr Barnsley’s application has no reasonable prospects of success and should be dismissed. [3] In his Form F2 Unfair Dismissal Application Mr Barnsley indicated that he commenced employment with AON Corporation Australia Limited on 3 March 2025 and that his dismissal took effect on 29 August 2025. On the information provided by Mr Barnsley, he was employed for 5 months, 3 weeks and 5 days. [4] Sections 382 and 383 of the Act provide that a person is only eligible to make an unfair dismissal application if they have completed a minimum period of employment before their dismissal. Section 383 defines the minimum employment period to be either 6 months or 12 months, depending on whether the respondent was a small business employer at the time of the dismissal. On the information provided by Mr Barnsley the period of employment was less than 6 months. [5] Commission staff attempted to contact Mr Barnsley on 30 September, 14 October and 17 October 2025 by telephone, SMS and email regarding the Minimum Employment Period. Section 587 – General Principles [6] Section 587 allows the Commission to dismiss an application on the Commission’s own initiative in the early stages of the proceedings. Protracted proceedings can be avoided when there is no reasonable prospect of an outcome other than the dismissal of the application. [2025] FWC 3597 DECISION AND ORDER -- 1 of 2 -- [2025] FWC 3597 2 [7] The power under s.587 should be used with caution, particularly if the matter involves complex questions of fact or law (see generally Bond v Carbridge Pty Ltd T/A Carbridge [2024] FWC 1302 at [11]-[16] (Bond)). An application should not be dismissed under s.587 unless it is very clear that there are no reasonable prospects of success. As such the power under s.587 is not available if there are disputed facts that could affect the outcome of the proceedings. [8] Importantly, applicants must be given a fair opportunity to show that their application does in fact have some reasonable prospects of success. Does Mr Barnsley’s application have any reasonable prospects of success? [9] The Commission cannot consider the fairness of Mr Barnsley’s dismissal until it is clear that he is eligible to make an unfair dismissal claim. [10] The information provided by Mr Barnsley on his Form F2 application strongly indicates that he is not eligible to make an unfair dismissal application because he does not appear to have served the minimum employment period. [11] Mr Barnsley had the opportunity to provide information that could show that he had in fact completed the minimum employment period. However Mr Barnsley has not provided any information that is consistent with him having done so. Mr Barnsley has also had the opportunity to put his case for consideration on all matters material to the decision to dismiss the application under s.587 (see Bond at [15]-[16]). [12] I am satisfied that Mr Barnsley’s claim has no reasonable prospect of success within the meaning of s.587(1)(c), and that it is appropriate in the circumstances to dismiss his application on the Commission’s own initiative using the facility available in s.587(3)(a). I make the following order: A. The application under s.394 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) made by Mr Angus Barnsley on 19 September 2025 is dismissed. DEPUTY PRESIDENT Printed by authority of the Commonwealth Government Printer <PR794251> -- 2 of 2 --