High Court Labour Division

High Court Labour Division is responsible for hearing and determining employment disputes. It was first inaugurated and launched in June 2007 under the Employment and Labour Relations Act.

369 judgments
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369 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
February 2023
An interlocutory CMA order granting condonation is not independently revisable; a premature revision is struck out.
Labour law – interlocutory CMA orders – condonation for late filing – revisability by way of revision – premature applications to High Court – costs in labour disputes (no costs).
16 February 2023
CMA had jurisdiction because Section 32A is not retrospective; award set aside for failure to frame issues and determine applicable retirement policy.
Labour law — jurisdiction of CMA — retrospectivity of Section 32A Public Service Act; Retirement benefits — applicable instrument: management Terms and Conditions (2002) vs Collective Bargaining Agreement; Procedural fairness — necessity to properly frame issues and assess approval of policy documents; Revision — setting aside award and remit for rehearing.
16 February 2023
Court struck out the revision application but allowed refiling to protect substantive justice and the right to litigate.
Labour procedure – preliminary objection – tenability of revision application; refiling after strike-out; overriding objective and substantive justice (Art.107A(2)(e) Constitution; Section 3A Civil Procedure Code); discretion to allow correction of procedural defects.
14 February 2023
Absence from work without suspension disentitles employees from unpaid-salary claims they fail to prove.
Labour law – unpaid wages – burden to plead and prove the quantum of claim; Employment status – suspension v. willful absence – entitlement to salary only for periods worked; Evidence – admissibility and weight of documents not objected to at arbitration; Employment and Labour Relations Act s.37(5) – scope limited to employees charged in court, not mere investigations.
14 February 2023
Court restored execution proceedings after finding the Deputy Registrar erred despite a valid transfer order.
Labour law — Execution of decree — Jurisdiction to enforce decree transferred from another region — Transfer order binding — Res judicata not ordinarily applicable to execution proceedings — Procedural irregularity by Deputy Registrar; restoration of file ordered.
14 February 2023
Court set aside ex‑parte labour award after finding prima facie forgery and potential denial of the applicant's right to be heard.
Labour law – ex‑parte CMA award – allegation of forgery and personation – right to be heard. Revision – prima facie evidence of irregularity/forgery justifying setting aside and remittal for inter‑partes hearing. Procedural fairness – necessity to ensure parties are properly summoned and represented.
14 February 2023
Applicant on unspecified-term contract was unfairly terminated; CMA award set aside and statutory terminal benefits awarded.
Employment law – Contract type: specific task vs unspecified period; statutory presumption of employment (s.61 Labour Institutions Act) and burden of proof; unfair termination for lack of reason and procedure; entitlement to notice, leave, severance and compensation; revision of CMA award.
14 February 2023
Revision against an ex parte CMA award was premature for failure to first apply to the CMA to set aside the award.
Labour law — Revision — Preliminary objection for failure to exhaust CMA remedies — Setting aside ex parte award under s.87(5)(b) ELRA — Rule 28 Labour Court Rules insufficient to bypass statutory remedy — Exceptional circumstances for direct revision (jurisdictional defect).
13 February 2023
Employee's resignation was constructive termination due to intolerable conditions from unresolved employer-initiated investigation.
Labour law – constructive termination – employer-created intolerable work conditions – reinstatement pending unresolved criminal investigation – transfer to distant station and monthly reporting – compensation assessment.
10 February 2023
A time‑barred labour revision application deprives the court of jurisdiction and must be dismissed, not struck out.
Labour law – Revision application – Limitation under section 91(1)(a) ELRA (42 days) – Time bar goes to jurisdiction – Consequence is dismissal, not striking out.
10 February 2023
A mediator lacks jurisdiction to determine condonation; the CMA ruling is set aside and remitted to an arbitrator.
Labour law – jurisdiction of mediators – whether mediators may determine condonation applications under section 86(3) ELRA; Procedural law – invalid exercise of jurisdiction – setting aside mediator’s ruling and remittal to arbitrator; CMA procedure – distinction between mediator and arbitrator functions.
10 February 2023
Applicant's challenge to execution for inflation correction dismissed as time-barred; executing officer lacked jurisdiction on collective agreement.
Labour law – execution of decree – terminal benefits – inclusion of inflation correction and allowances – executing officer’s jurisdiction – interpretation of collective bargaining agreement reserved to court (s.74 ELRA) – limitation for revision applications.
10 February 2023
Extension granted where e‑filing/registry technical failure caused delay in filing a labour revision.
Labour procedure – Extension of time to file revision – discretionary remedy – must show sufficient cause. Electronic filing – technical/e‑registry failure – may constitute sufficient cause for extension. Statutory period – revision filed within 42 days (section 91(1)(a) ELRA) where e‑filing proof exists. Costs – no costs where court/system contributed to delay.
10 February 2023
The applicant’s challenge failed: fixed‑term employees may claim unfair termination and receive salary for the unexpired contract term.
Labour law – Unfair termination – Application of unfair termination principles to fixed‑term contracts – Remedy of payment for unexpired contractual term. Administrative procedure – CMA jurisdiction and scope – Arbitrator’s awards must align with nature of dispute but remedies for unfair termination include remaining-contract salary. Pleadings – Whether CMA may award remedies where form pleaded termination but remedy corresponds to fixed‑term contract consequences.
10 February 2023
Insurance claims below TSh 40,000,000 must be referred to the Insurance Ombudsman; trial court lacked jurisdiction.
Insurance law – Jurisdiction – Section 123 Insurance Act and Ombudsman Regulations – Claims below TSh 40,000,000/= to be referred to Insurance Ombudsman Tribunal; "may" construed as mandatory in context; proceedings without jurisdiction null and void.
10 February 2023
Court remitted unfair-termination award because the tribunal failed to determine whether the worker was dismissed or had resigned.
Labour law – employment relationship – application of section 61 factors (control, integration, hours, economic dependence, tools, exclusivity) – burden on employer to prove nature of relationship and keep records. Industrial relations – dismissal v. resignation – tribunal must determine whether termination occurred before assessing fairness and procedures. Jurisdiction/timeliness – commission to determine whether dispute was lodged within statutory time. Procedural fairness – remittal appropriate where tribunal omitted decisive preliminary issues.
7 February 2023
Employer’s dismissal for audited misconduct was substantively and procedurally fair; CMA award quashed due to evidential and pleading errors.
Labour law – unfair dismissal – substantive fairness (gross misconduct and gross negligence proved by audit) – procedural fairness (disciplinary hearing proceeded ex parte after employee’s refusal to attend) – pleadings and time‑bar issues (defective CMA F1 double termination) – evidentiary law (documents admitted for identification have no evidential value).
6 February 2023
Withdrawal at mediation may be permitted even where a preliminary objection on timeliness exists; no revision warranted.
Labour law – revision of CMA rulings; withdrawal at mediation vs striking out/dismissal; preliminary objection (timeliness) – ordinarily determined before merits but withdrawal at mediation may preclude determination; procedural competence – grounds for revision; costs – each party to bear own costs.
6 February 2023
January 2023
Res judicata not established; DLHT had jurisdiction and respondents proved ownership; appeal dismissed with costs.
Land law — res judicata — identity of parties, subject matter and cause; jurisdiction — functus officio in execution versus fresh suit; evidentiary proof of land ownership and possession.
11 January 2023