Boatman dismissed by text message after 16 years: redundancy claim succeeds
A boatman with 16 years' service was unfairly dismissed when his employer sent a text message saying there was no work. The tribunal awarded over £17,600 in compensation, including an ACAS uplift.
1 min read · Last updated 18 May 2026
Case details
- #boatman
- #text-message-dismissal
- #no-warning-or-consultation
- #acas-code-uplift
- #section-1-breach
- #wrongful-dismissal
- #holiday-pay
Key facts
- The claimant was employed as a boatman from 1 June 2007 until dismissed by text message on 4 December 2022.
- The respondent claimed there was no work and he was on the verge of packing up, but the business continued to operate.
- The claimant was not warned or consulted about redundancy before dismissal.
- The respondent failed to provide a written statement of employment terms and did not respond to the claimant's grievance.
- The respondent did not attend the hearing or submit any response to the claim.
Timeline
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Employment started
Claimant began working as a boatman for the respondent.
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Furloughed
Claimant was furloughed due to the pandemic.
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Sick leave started
Claimant was signed off work by his GP and received fit notes.
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Statutory sick pay stopped
Respondent stopped paying SSP and asked claimant to return, but claimant remained on sick leave.
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Fit to return
Claimant's GP confirmed he was fit to return to work; claimant texted respondent about returning in about 2 weeks.
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Dismissal by text
Respondent texted claimant saying there was no work and he was on the verge of packing up.
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Grievance submitted
Claimant's representative sent a grievance letter to respondent regarding the dismissal; no response received.
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Claim presented
Tribunal received the claim form.
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Final hearing
Held by CVP; respondent did not attend.
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Judgment issued
Employment Judge Tueje issued judgment with reasons.
The legal issue
The tribunal had to decide whether the claimant was unfairly dismissed when his employer ended his employment by text message, citing lack of work, without any prior warning, consultation, or consideration of alternatives.
The outcome
The tribunal upheld the claim for unfair dismissal, wrongful dismissal, and unpaid holiday pay. The respondent failed to attend the hearing or submit any response.
- Basic award: £7,607.00
- Loss of statutory rights: £500.00
- Holiday pay (9 days): £2,874.42
- Wrongful dismissal: £3,832.56
- Section 38 uplift (failure to provide written terms): £1,277.52
- ACAS Code uplift (25%): £2,121.11
- Total: £17,672.61
Lessons & takeaways
- Dismissing an employee by text message without any prior discussion is almost certain to be unfair, regardless of the reason.
- Employers must follow a fair redundancy process, including warning the employee, consulting them, and considering alternative roles.
- Failing to provide a written statement of employment terms can lead to additional compensation of up to four weeks' pay.
- Ignoring a tribunal claim or failing to attend the hearing will not stop a judgment being made against you, and may increase the award.
A 16-year career ended by text
The claimant worked as a boatman for Trevor Symes for over 16 years. After a period of sickness absence, he was declared fit to return in late November 2022. He texted his employer to say he would be back in about two weeks. The response came by text on 4 December: 'there is no work ... I'm on the verge of packing up.' That was the end of his employment.
What the employer did wrong
The tribunal found that the reason for dismissal was redundancy, but the employer failed to do almost everything expected of a fair employer. There was no warning, no consultation, no consideration of alternative work, and no appeal. The business continued to operate after the dismissal, undermining the claim that there was genuinely no work. The employer also failed to provide a written statement of employment terms and did not respond to the claimant's grievance.
The cost of ignoring the process
The employer did not attend the hearing or submit any response. The tribunal applied an uplift of 25% for unreasonably failing to follow the ACAS Code of Practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures. Combined with awards for wrongful dismissal, holiday pay, and the failure to provide written terms, the total compensation came to £17,672.61.
Why this matters
This case shows that even small employers cannot bypass basic employment protections. A text message dismissal after 16 years of service is a clear example of how not to handle redundancy. The ACAS uplift and the award for failing to provide written terms also highlight that ignoring employment law obligations can be costly.
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