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United Kingdom Leading Case repudiatory breach

Western Excavating (ECC) Ltd v Sharp

[1978] QB 761
JurisdictionUnited Kingdom
CourtCourt of Appeal (England and Wales)
Year1978
StatusBinding authority

Summary

Constructive dismissal requires the employer to commit a repudiatory breach of contract, assessed objectively, before the employee is entitled to resign and claim dismissal.

Key Principle

constructive dismissal; employer must commit repudiatory breach of contract; objective test

Area of Law

employment

Related Cases

Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union v Personnel Contracting Pty Ltd (2022) 275 CLR 165

Employee/independent contractor characterisation is determined by the legal rights and obligations in the written contract, not the totality of the relationship.

ZG Operations Australia Pty Ltd v Jamsek (2022) 275 CLR 215

HCA confirmed that employee/contractor distinction is determined by contractual terms alone, rejecting the multi-factorial totality-of-relationship test.

WorkPac Pty Ltd v Rossato (2021) 271 CLR 456

A casual employee's status is determined by the contractual terms at engagement; regularity of work pattern does not transform casual employment into permanent employment.

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