Donovan and Anor v Kensington Pharmacy and Newsagency [2004] NSWIRComm 385

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales

CITATION : Donovan and Anor v Kensington Pharmacy and Newsagency [2004] NSWIRComm 385 APPLICANTS: Ms Lynette Donovan PARTIES : Ms Kyrie Whitelaw RESPONDENT: Kensington Pharmacy and Newsagency FILE NUMBER: 4061, 4062, 4911 of 2004 CORAM: Sams DP Termination of employment - unfair dismissal - whether applicants actually dismissed - whether dismissals were harsh, unreasonable or unjust - casual shop assistants - hours of work - procedural fairness - conflict of evidence - allegation of victimisation - application under s213 of the Act - out of time application - concurrent proceedings - relevant principles. CATCHWORDS : Held, both applicants summarily dismissed - respondent's evidence not accepted - no notice or warnings of dismissals - no opportunity to give an explanation - no reasonable basis for dismissals - unblemished records of employment - both dismissals substantively and procedurally harsh, unreasonable and unjust - out of time application accepted - sufficient reasons established - similarity to out of time provisions for unfair dismissal applications - general principles in respect to discretion to waive time limits - delay not excessive - no hardship for employer - hardship for applicant - similarities between victimisation and unfair dismissal - no bar to concurrent proceedings - applicant victimised by respondent for informing other employees of an alleged breach by the employer of an industrial instrument - breach of s210 of the Act - reinstatement impractical - orders made for compensation - difficulty in apportioning compensation under both sections of the Act in concurrent proceedings - orders made. LEGISLATION CITED : Industrial Relations Act 1996 Abboud v The State of New South Wales (Department of School Education) (1999) 92 IR 32 Antonakopoulos v State Bank (1999) 91 IR 385 Bankstown City Council v Paris (1999) 93 IR 209 Brisbane South Regional Health Authority v Taylor (1996) 186 CLR 541 Buckman v Burdekin (1998) 85 IR 415 Burke v McGirr (1995) 87 IR 54 Byrne v Australian Airlines Limited (1995) 185 CLR 410 D & R Commercial Pty Ltd v Flood (2002) 113 IR 344 CASES CITED : Davis v Amalgamated Television Services Pty Limited (1998) 81 IR 364 Humphries and Cootamundra Ex-Services and Citizens Memorial Club Limited [2003] NSWIRComm 211 Hurrell and Queensland Cotton Corporation Limited [2003] NSWIRComm 139 Johnson v Catholic Education Office, Diocese of Parramatta (1998) 87 IR 57 Nisbett v Kilfoyle t/as Kilfoyle Earthmoving (1996) 67 IR 214 Oswald v NSW Police Service (1999) 90 IR 42 Outboard World v Muir (1993) 51 IR 167 Public Service Association of New South Wales v Teterycz (1998) 82 IR 172 Wilson v Department of Education and Training (2000) 100 IR 1 HEARING DATES: 10/12/2004; 10/13/2004 DATE OF JUDGMENT: 12/13/2004