Calvar v Digworth Pty Ltd trading as Early Street Historical Village [1997] QIRC 194 (1997) 155 QGIG 244

244 QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT INDUSTRIAL GAZETTE 16 May, 1997 ----------------------------------------------------------- ################/1#####//#################ir################# ()l f?E\S! A:,,i' lNDL;:; !RIAL R!'.L \fl()i\;S COi\1/'.11',SlON /ni..iustria! Rehrrions Au itJ90 ~~- 90 - gt'neral powers COMMlSSlO'iFR BECHL 'i Sc\.cr:..1_1,ce. Pcl.Yrnent Less th::.rn fdker;. e.mplo_yec; were rm.ployed hy the r,:__"..;pondcr:t Cnirirni: Si'.Hl. c' re, 1ninJii~·1n c,f Ernployrnc:)t. !nt;f:duuinn ,:·;j Cb.m:;'-'S R~_·dundZJ.r::.cy provi"i•Jri:-; do nut :1pply ApphcHinn f'.;:,fu.sr:d. DFCiSION ·i he appli,.:anl in lhis HldHt::r h~h ~ought an 1xdcr fr{)m the Conu~1i~sion tilat dk· re~pt1rH.k'nl, Eady Street His;;t1Jrical Village: pa; ;rn u.m;ptY:ifit'd r:.m!._11..rnt a(~ ~1 sevr:.•i;rncc ;:_d!0.._v~1.ncL He \VJS ..:mpjoyed frum 8 .~\ugu:-:t ; t)(_:5 tn IO Dcr.ernt-t:r ! CJ9(J a:-. Head Chef oc. ;_i s;_i.L:.1ry of ~Y2.0CK! per :Jnm1:1:. }-ft.--. V.-'d'\ tcrrnin:]k'd due 10 dt"'lWntun: in 1:-ad;: ii ::-- cle,:r from the c\·idence tcndtTcd, th~1t hi~ c;;,n_trihuti1m to !he bu~i!:1_•:-,s durinJ::: ~ii:, }X'fH.xi u! employn1:::nt was highly reg:1rJed hy thi," rc.c;prmdi:'rlt nnd _it is alsn ,:k:1r frnrn the anplicarn's :-.ubnii:,.;.:-:ion that he l.\ argricvt~d at \\-hat he cun:-.:dc-1~; 10 !~ the rt~.-.prw1dcnl s !Jck ufcon\;ldcrartun or bt--:. ;>J1itrihutJ;.·1n tc the 1L:1pnJVt:·1nc-D1 cf rhe bu~ine-.:,, ()n ::r; (ktctx.·1 ; 9li6 lhc cnip!oycr informed hrn a\ :o th;? dett'ri,.1r-~ trnr -.,t;Jlt.' i•:" the bL;f;iHe..:;.-; and p1oposed t 1.) him tti~H ii 'Xa ...: jn hi:> own best irncreqs U1 l,Yik ,u·,,urid fur another pn.a;.it1or:. His crnplc,ynk~nt \1,:a~: tern1i1u:cd \(1rne ~i-" \i,,·c,ck., .i:1tc1 rhe qw:~:-..tion to ix con;-;idcrcd at the outset is whclhcr the applic:.ltion is able tn be mad~ \vithin the te~ms of the Cqmmission's pulicy on Termination of Enipluyment Intrudu.::t!on of Changes, Redundancy. The applicant wa-.; ernpioyed f()r longer than t\,vdve momhs on a penr:.an~nt ba:;,is. The respondent, ho\:v·cver. e1npioyed ar the it.+,•vam time a t(JIJl of four staff on a ne! manent basi_s anti c:allcd on a !x.mk uf casual cmpl<1_y'ees :o fill ct.illy neL·ds for catering and fooJ service staff On the day ot tcnninat1,_·1n the emp!oyrncnt record:-. n.:ve~d that J. total of :-.ix st:Jff Wt'rt'- c1np)oycd Occasinn::lly during the pff.'ceding week'.'. :-,light!)' in excrs:, of fif!e(:n t:mpioyce~ were cmp(oyed, usually :JS_,~ociat.."'J with a \.v;,.:ckend function ! ;,-\·;1s rekrr-.:d to th,.~ decision oft ht' Prc~ident. !\1ackenzic J in Brothers Union Cluh (tirir:hane} l,imiied \' l1/e1/ John Hoey to :,,uppPrt the conlcntion tbat the respondent did not frd! i,,vithin the a!nbir of the c·om:uission';-; rcnnir1Jiion C!"lanrt· ~n~d Rc()~_rnJancy provi:-.ion.-., hec~wse it employed lesf-. 1h;m fifkcn employee.~. While the bLts ol 1hat maner appe;-u to b,:' somewhat different from the 0ver::ili bcr.s of !his 111alfer it i:-: dear in the case of ..r..1r Calvar's termination th:1t, on the cby of rcrmination, Tuesday ] 0 Pece.mber l 996, the rt\pGndent had in its c1nploy ordy six ernployce:;.. On the day preceding then.; \\ere three employees and on the. succeeding day there \Vere six employees. On average durrng that pay V/t.'ek, taken over the -..even days on v,,.1hich ernploymcnt took place. k\-;s than fifteen en1ployees ~vere engag-:d. The :..;ame circurnsunce t1pplies for the ten v..-eek peno!l for which e111ployrn,,:m statiqics \\.·ere provided. \\.-' hilt fr1t: Cofnmisswn'-.. Tcnnination Ch:.1nge mHl Redundancy policy d(''.!-~ not h:nJ ihelf to a si1nple clctrificat.ion the issue of a cornhrnation of permanent anrl ca:,.,ual emp.loyment in assessing the required number of ernpk,ycc., ("")__~fr:re the policy (:~m cumc into cfftxt ! 1ake. note uf the com,n-.-:ms nt (\·1;:-;ckcn;,,:.ic J. and, in tht' rmlitcr naw befrirc rnc. find thai the respt1ndent i:- not ;rn cmpkJyee to \Vhich the Commi:.:~inn's Tcrmin::Hinn Cb..ingt.: ::tn(1 RcJurn:fruicy· policy· ;:ipplics. !/ E BECHL 'r. Comnnss,oncr '.\fr \,1. KL11t or Draks: \\-'a.lb~r :..rnd Lc~~hy 101 Digv.nrth Pt_v Ltd tn.Hiing as Ew Iv Son'! Hi,ton,:;1! Vilbre Opcrari\·e Date: !\'/;\ i )ecic.;lon -- Se\·t.::r<rno: Allow:...u::c-.:: -- 1 of 1 --