Weiss Report Blog

The Employment Appeal Tribunal has dismissed a petition by Myles Bebbington against newsagent Sturry News in Canterbury. It may have come as a blow to many young workers who are neither children nor adults as per law.

Carolyn Haddon, a Solicitor at Charles Russell pointed out that the Age Regulations of October 2006 played a strong part in this decision of dismissal. She also wondered whether the Tribunal would have reached the same conclusion if there was an older worker or a young child.

It is to be noted that Myles Bebbington was dismissed from his work as a paperboy when his mother objected to an earlier start of 6.30 AM instead of the regular 7 AM as illegal. Mr. Bebbington was 15 and had been a paper boy from the age of 13 with the same agency. Though the Children’s Legal Centre backed him, the Tribunal upheld the original decision. According to the Tribunal there was never an employer-employee contract between the two and any claims brought forth for unfair dismissal could not be entertained.

The fact that Myles Bebbington was able to get the attention of the Tribunal was due to the Age Regulations of 2006. It was the aim of these regulations to protect unfair dismissal by employers of those who are beyond 65 years old or under 18.

By dismissing the Bebbington case, the Tribunal has affirmed that a valid contract of employment is essential for a claim to be valid and acknowledged the status of workers who fall under the purview of Age Regulations 2006.

Employers can keep themselves up to date with HR and personnel developments to enhance the working capability of employees by taking an accredited CIPD course, such as the Certificate in Personnel Practice. The course provides a firm foundation in all the areas of HR and employment law and a better understanding of how employment practice works to help organisations to set their own organisation’s policies and procedures in context