Withdrawal of job offer made by agency costs employer £3,000

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An employment tribunal has ordered an employer to pay breach of contract damages after it withdrew a job offer made by a recruitment agency acting on its behalf. Stephen Simpson rounds up the latest employment tribunal decisions. Damages of one month's salary where job offer withdrawn In McCann v Snozone Ltd, an employment tribunal awarded a claimant damages for breach of contract where he verbally accepted a job offer made by a recruitment agency acting for the employer, and the employer subsequently withdrew the offer. The employer appointed a recruitment agency to identify suitable candidates for vacancies as maintenance engineers. Following two interviews, Mr McCann had telephone conversations with the agency. There was a dispute as to what was said, but the employment tribunal accepted Mr McCann's version that he was offered, and accepted, a post. It was common ground that the salary and start date were not agreed. The employer subsequently denied that an offer of employment had been made and Mr McCann brought a claim in the tribunal for damages for breach of contract. The employment tribunal held that the employer, acting through its agent (the agency), verbally offered a job to Mr McCann, which he accepted, creating a contract of employment. According to the tribunal, the contract of employment could be terminated only by giving