Employment Tribunal Rules in Favour of Claimant: Damages Awarded for Unpaid Wages
📌 In brief
In this case, an Employment Tribunal ruled in favour of a worker who claimed unpaid wages, breach of contract, and holiday pay from their employer. The tribunal awarded the worker £9,610.75 as damages for these issues.
⚖️ Legal holding
An employer must compensate an employee for unauthorised wage deductions, breaches of contractual notice periods, and failure to forward pension contributions.
📖 Technical summary
The Employment Tribunal awarded damages for unpaid wages, breach of contract, and holiday pay.
📜 Headnote Official document
The Employment Judge awarded damages to the claimant for unauthorised wage deductions, breach of contract regarding notice pay and pension contributions, and holiday pay. The respondent failed to respond timely.
📚 Full judgment Official document
OUTCOME: Allowed
Case Number: 6009219/2025 6028927/2025
EMPLOYMENT TRIBUNALS
Claimant: [redacted]
Respondent: [redacted]
1. The claims were presented in the Manchester Employment Tribunal on 17th March and 5th August 2025. The respondent has failed to present a valid response on time. The Employment Judge has decided that a determination can properly be made of the claim, or part of it, in accordance with rule 22 of the Rules of Procedure.
Wages
2. The complaint of unauthorised deductions from wages is well-founded. The respondent made an unauthorised deduction from the claimant's wages in the period 1st February 2025 to 31st March 2025.
3. The respondent shall pay the claimant £5,309.43 (£2,384.63 for the month of February 2025 and £2,924.80 for the month of March 2025) which is the gross sum deducted. The claimant is responsible for the payment of any tax or National Insurance not deducted by the respondent. This is the net value to the claimant of the amount due. Breach of Contract
4. The complaint of breach of contract in relation to notice pay is well-founded.
5. The respondent shall pay the claimant two weeks’ statutory notice pay of £1,529.54 (£3,314.00 per month x 12 months = £39,768.00 per annum divided by 52 weeks = £764.77 per week x 2 weeks) as damages for breach of contract. This figure has been calculated using gross pay to reflect the likelihood that the claimant will have to pay tax on it as Post Employment Notice Pay.
6. The complaint of breach of contract in relation to the failure to forward pension contributions to the [NAME] is well-founded. The respondent is ordered to pay the claimant the sum of £831.78 as damages for that breach. Redundancy Payment 7. The complaint that the respondent was in breach of contract by failing to pay the claimant a contractual redundancy payment is well-founded.
8. The respondent shall pay the claimant £1,400.00 as damages for breach of contract. Holiday Pay 9. The complaint in respect of holiday pay is well-founded. The respondent made an unauthorised deduction from the claimant's wages by failing to pay the claimant for holidays accrued but not taken on the date the claimant’s employment ended.
10. The respondent shall pay the claimant £540.00. The claimant is responsible for paying any tax or National Insurance.
11. The respondent must pay the claimant £9,610.75 in total.
12. No award is made for the compensation as described by the claimant, as the Tribunal has no jurisdiction to award such compensation in the circumstances.
Approved by:
Regional Employment Judge Franey
3 December 2025
JUDGMENT SENT TO THE PARTIES ON
26 February 2026
..................................................................... FOR THE TRIBUNAL OFFICE
NOTICE
THE EMPLOYMENT TRIBUNALS (INTEREST) ORDER 1990 ARTICLE 12
Case number: 6009219/2025
Name of case: [NAME]
v [RESPONDENT] (in compulsory liquidation)
Interest is payable when an Employment Tribunal makes an award or determination requiring one party to proceedings to pay a sum of money to another party, apart from sums representing costs or expenses.
No interest is payable if the sum is paid in full within 14 days after the date the Tribunal sent the written record of the decision to the parties. The date the Tribunal sent the written record of the decision to the parties is called the relevant decision day.
Interest starts to accrue from the day immediately after the relevant decision day. That is called the calculation day.
The rate of interest payable is the rate specified in section 17 of the Judgments Act 1838 on the relevant decision day. This is known as the stipulated rate of interest.
The Secretary of the Tribunal is required to give you notice of the relevant decision day, the calculation day, and the stipulated rate of interest in your case. They are as follows:
the relevant decision day in this case is: 26 February 2026
the calculation day in this case is: 27 February 2026
the stipulated rate of interest is: 8% per annum.
[NAME] For the Employment Tribunal Office
GUIDANCE NOTE
1. There is more information about Tribunal judgments here, which you should read with this guidance note: www.gov.uk/government/publications/employment-tribunal-hearings-judgment-guide- t426
If you do not have access to the internet, you can ask for a paper copy by telephoning the Tribunal office dealing with the claim.
2. The payment of interest on Employment Tribunal awards is governed by The Employment Tribunals (Interest) Order 1990. Interest is payable on Employment Tribunal awards if they remain wholly or partly unpaid more than 14 days after the relevant decision day. Sums in the award that represent costs or expenses are excluded. Interest starts to accrue from the day immediately after the relevant decision day, which is called the calculation day.
3. The date of the relevant decision day in your case is set out in the Notice. If the judgment is paid in full by that date, no interest will be payable. If the judgment is not paid in full by that date, interest will start to accrue from the next day.
4. Requesting written reasons after you have received a written judgment does not change the date of the relevant decision day.
5. Interest will be calculated as simple interest accruing from day to day on any part of the sum of money awarded by the Tribunal that remains unpaid.
6. If the person paying the Tribunal award is required to pay part of it to a public authority by way of tax or National Insurance, no interest is payable on that part.
7. If the Secretary of State has claimed any part of the sum awarded by the Tribunal in a recoupment notice, no interest is payable on that part.
8. If the sum awarded is varied, either because the Tribunal reconsiders its own judgment, or following an appeal to the Employment Appeal Tribunal or a higher court, interest will still be payable from the calculation day but it will be payable on the new sum not the sum originally awarded.
9. The online information explains how Employment Tribunal awards are enforced. The interest element of an award is enforced in the same way.
📊 How courts decide similar cases
Among 12 similar decisions in this collection:
- Employment Tribunal Claimant Wins Compensation for Unpaid Wages and Holidays
- Employment Tribunal Worker Wins Case Against Employer Over Wages, Holiday Pay and Dismissal
- Employment Tribunal Claimant wins breach of contract case at Employment Tribunal
- Employment Tribunal Employment Tribunal Rules Employer Must Pay Unpaid Wages and Notice Pay
- Employment Tribunal Disabled Worker Wins Discrimination Case Against Employer
- Employment Tribunal Employment Tribunal Rules Employer Must Pay Unlawful Wages Deduction
- Employment Tribunal Worker Wins Holiday Pay Claim Against Absent Employer
- Employment Tribunal Manchester ET Rules: Employer Must Pay Unpaid Wages and Redundancy
- Employment Tribunal Employment Tribunal Rules in Favour of Unfairly Dismissed Employee
- Employment Tribunal Employment Tribunal: Employer Liable for Unauthorised Wage Deductions
A snapshot of this collection — not a prediction of your case's outcome.
⚖️ What tends to weigh in cases like this
✅ Tends to be accepted
- Employer made unauthorised wage deductions.
- Employer breached contractual notice periods.
- Employer failed to forward pension contributions.
- Employer did not provide unpaid holiday entitlements.
- Employer treated employee unfavourably due to disability or engaged in harassment.
Patterns observed in similar cases in this collection — every case is unique.
❓ Frequently asked questions
What did this decision decide?
The Employment Tribunal ruled in favour of the claimant, awarding them damages for unpaid wages, breach of contract, and holiday pay.
Who was involved?
A worker (the claimant) brought a case against their employer (the respondent).
How did the court decide, and why?
The tribunal decided in favour of the claimant because the employer failed to respond timely and there was evidence supporting the claims.
Which laws or rules were applied?
No specific laws or rules are mentioned in this judgment.
What was the argument that mattered most?
The lack of a valid response from the respondent allowed the tribunal to make a determination based on the claimant's evidence.
Was the decision for or against the person who brought the case?
The decision was in favour of the claimant.
What does this mean for someone in a similar situation?
Someone facing similar issues can seek compensation through an Employment Tribunal if their employer fails to respond appropriately.
What evidence or documents mattered?
Evidence supporting the claims of unpaid wages, breach of contract, and holiday pay was likely crucial.
Can a decision like this be appealed?
Yes, decisions from Employment Tribunals can typically be appealed to the Employment Appeal Tribunal.
Is it worth getting a solicitor for a case like this?
It is advisable to seek legal advice from a qualified solicitor for such cases.
