For Michael, a 58-year-old man living with his wife in rented accommodation in Barnet, the past year brought sudden uncertainty after more than two decades of loyal service. Michael had worked as a waiter in a north-west London restaurant for 21 years. His job was not just his income, but a constant in his life.
In April 2024, Michael’s employer announced plans to move abroad and informed staff that the restaurant would be taken over by a local businessman. Initially, nothing seemed to change. Michael and his colleagues continued working as normal under the new ownership. However, just six weeks later, the new employer announced that he had decided to close the restaurant altogether.
Two days later, the restaurant shut permanently. All staff, including Michael, were dismissed with no notice. They received no redundancy pay, no notice pay and no outstanding holiday pay.
The impact on Michael was devastating. Having spent most of his working life in the hospitality industry, he had no formal qualifications or training in other fields. He struggled to find alternative work and was left anxious about how he would support himself and his wife.
Michael turned to Citizens Advice Barnet for help. Our specialist employment team took on his case, with our solicitor acting as his formal legal representative. We raised grievances and appeals with both the original employer and the new owner of the restaurant, but these were ignored.
With no response from either employer, our team pursued Employment Tribunal claims on Michael’s behalf. These included unfair dismissal, failure to pay redundancy pay and notice pay, as well as other breaches of his employment rights. Our solicitor represented Michael at a Preliminary Hearing and began preparing the case for a three-day Tribunal hearing scheduled for the following year.
After complex negotiations with the lawyer representing the second employer, the case was settled before trial. Michael secured a settlement of £12,000.
The compensation has significantly eased Michael’s immediate financial pressures. With renewed confidence, he has since completed training to become a licensed security guard and is hopeful about securing new work soon.
Michael expressed his deep gratitude to Citizens Advice Barnet for standing by him during an extremely difficult time and for achieving a successful outcome when he felt he had nowhere else to turn.
At Citizens Advice Barnet, we believe that everyone deserves fair treatment at work, regardless of their circumstances. If you or someone you know is facing discrimination or legal challenges, we’re here to help.
If you would like to support our work and help more people like Michael, find out more how you can get involved.