Unfair dismissal usually applies when an employee has worked for an employer for at least 2 years and is sacked either without a fair reason or without a reasonable procedure being followed. Examples of automatically unfair reasons for dismissals could include being pregnant or on maternity leave, making a flexible working request, or being a member of a trade union.
What counts as unfair dismissal?
Related FAQs
- Can I be dismissed even though I haven’t had any previous disciplinary warnings?
- Can I be dismissed for failing to meet my targets?
- Can I be dismissed just for sticking up for my rights or drawing attention to unsafe working practices?
- Can I be dismissed or made redundant while I am on sick leave?
- Can I be made redundant when I have more experience than other employees that are being kept on?
- Can I be made to retire when I reach the company’s retirement age?
- Can I claim discrimination for being dismissed or made redundant while pregnant?
- Can I lose my job while on maternity leave?
- Can my employer change my contract?
- Can my employer give my job to someone else?
- Can my employer reduce my pay?
- Can my employer refuse to pay me the bonus or commission I would have earned if I hadn’t been dismissed?
- Do I have to work my notice period after being told that I am being dismissed or made redundant?
- How do I work out my employees’ holiday entitlement?
- How much compensation can I get if an employment tribunal agrees that I was dismissed unfairly?
- How much notice am I entitled to when being dismissed or made redundant?
- How much notice do I need to give to leave my job?
- How much redundancy pay am I entitled to?
- I’ve been called to a disciplinary meeting but I know they are just going through the motions so they can fire me — what should I do?
- I’ve been told I have no right to complain about being dismissed or made redundant as I’ve had the job for less than two years — is that right?
- Is it true that your job should be protected when your company is taken over — I’ve just been told I’m being made redundant?
- My boss had made it clear that if I don’t resign I’ll be dismissed and given a bad reference — is that allowed?
- My company has been taken over and I’ve been told to reapply for my job on a lower salary — is that allowed?
- What’s the difference between maternity pay and maternity allowance?
- What am I entitled to if I'm made redundant?
- What counts as unfair dismissal?
- What to do if you are being paid less than your colleagues?