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Work is a big part of our lives. So when things go wrong at work, or you lose your job, it can be extremely stressful and disruptive.

Either you or your boss can terminate your employment contract by giving the agreed amount of notice. But your employer can only let you go if they have a lawful reason, and they must follow a fair procedure.

Your employer should also have a 'grievance procedure', which is a formal way of dealing with problems you have at work.

But when things go wrong at work, the best protection is to be a member of a union. If you think you're being badly treated or have been unfairly dismissed, your union will step in to help.

If you're not already a member, you can use our Union Finder tool to work out which union is the best fit for you.

This section will outline the different kinds of dismissal and grievance procedures. But it shouldn’t be taken as legal or financial advice. Employment law is complex and every case is different. Before taking any action, seek individual advice from your union or a qualified adviser.

If you decide to take your case to an employment tribunal, you’ll need to act quickly, because deadlines in the tribunal are very short.

Common
questions
Can I be dismissed without proper notice?
You can only be dismissed without proper notice if your employer genuinely and reasonably believes that you are guilty of gross misconduct, following a fair investigation.
What is wrongful dismissal?
Wrongful dismissal is a claim for breach of contract – the failure to give the proper amount of notice demanded by the contract...
What is the difference between dismissal with notice and without notice?
Your employment contract should state how much notice the employer must give you to bring it to an end.

This notice must be at least equivalent to the statutory minimum notice, which is a week for each year of service up to a maximum of twelve weeks’ notice after twelve years’ service - unless you behave so badly that the employer is entitled to end the contract immediately – so called “summary” dismissal, for gross misconduct.
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