Cleaner awarded £785 after manager failed to attend meeting and contract ended
A cleaner who was left waiting for a manager who never showed up, and later told the cleaning contract had ended, has been awarded £785.73 for unpaid wages, holiday pay, notice pay, expenses, and pension contributions.
1 min read · Last updated 18 May 2026
Case details
Key facts
- The claimant was employed as a cleaner from 26 November 2018 to 7 September 2020.
- The respondent failed to file a response to the claim.
- The claimant's employment ended when her manager failed to attend a meeting and she was told the cleaning contract had ended.
- The claimant was not paid wages, holiday pay, notice pay, expenses, or pension contributions.
- The claimant did not have sufficient continuous service to bring an unfair dismissal claim.
Timeline
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Employment started
Claimant began working as a cleaner for Anglia Cleaning Solutions Limited.
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Last payment received
Claimant received her final payment from the respondent.
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New assignment promised
Claimant was told she would start a new cleaning assignment on 7 September 2020.
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Manager failed to attend meeting
Claimant waited for manager Mr Richardson, who did not appear and did not respond to calls.
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Employment ended
Claimant learned the cleaning contract had ended and there was no further work.
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Claim presented
Claimant filed a claim with the employment tribunal.
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Notice of likely judgment
Tribunal wrote to respondent warning that judgment may be issued due to no response.
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Hearing
Substantive hearing took place at Bury St Edmunds Employment Tribunal.
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Judgment issued
Tribunal awarded claimant £785.73 for various claims.
The legal issue
The tribunal had to decide whether the cleaner was unfairly dismissed and whether she was owed unpaid wages, holiday pay, notice pay, expenses, and pension contributions after her employment ended abruptly when her manager failed to attend a meeting and the cleaning contract was terminated.
The outcome
The tribunal awarded the cleaner a total of £785.73 for various claims, but her unfair dismissal claim was dismissed because she had only 1 year and 9 months of continuous service, falling short of the two-year qualifying period.
- Holiday pay: £303.98
- Unpaid pension payments: £12.00
- Unpaid expenses: £77.35
- Unpaid wages: £327.00
- Notice pay: £65.40
Lessons & takeaways
- Employees with less than two years' continuous service cannot bring an unfair dismissal claim, regardless of how the employment ended.
- Employers who fail to respond to a tribunal claim may have a default judgment entered against them, making it harder to defend.
- Workers should keep records of unpaid wages, holiday pay, and expenses to support any future claims.
A manager who didn't show up
This case highlights what can happen when an employer fails to communicate with their staff. The cleaner had worked for Anglia Cleaning Solutions Limited for nearly two years when she was told to meet her manager at a new assignment. She waited, but he never arrived. She called and messaged, but got no reply. Eventually, she learned that the cleaning contract with her previous workplace had ended, and there was no more work for her.
What the employer could have done differently
The respondent did not file a response to the claim, which meant the tribunal had to decide based on the cleaner's evidence. If the employer had engaged, they might have been able to argue that the cleaner was not dismissed but simply redeployed, or that they had a fair reason for ending the employment. By failing to respond, they lost the chance to present their side.
Why the result matters
The cleaner won awards for unpaid wages, holiday pay, notice pay, expenses, and pension contributions. However, her unfair dismissal claim failed because she had not worked for the required two years. This is a common trap for employees with shorter service. The case also shows that even without a formal dismissal letter, the way employment ends can still give rise to claims for unpaid sums.
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