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Unfair dismissal

The right not to be unfairly dismissed is a purely statutory right arising under section 94 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (ERA 1996).

ERA 1996, Part X (ERA 1996, ss 94–134A) contains most of the provisions relating to who has the right, how to bring a claim, when the right is infringed and the remedies available following a successful claim.

This Overview summarises the issues relating to unfair dismissal claims, eg eligibility criteria for bringing a claim, the meaning of dismissal for statutory purposes, and the concept of ‘fairness’ in relation to reasons for dismissal and procedural requirements. It also deals with remedies for successful claims and options for resolving and settling claims.

For information on managing situations in which issues of conduct, capability and performance may give rise to a dismissal, see:

  1. •

    Performance, conduct and discipline—overview

  2. •

    Sickness and absence—overview

Time limits

Claims for unfair dismissal may only be brought in an employment tribunal and must generally be presented within three months of the effective date of termination of employment (subject to any extension if the requirement

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Latest Employment News

Employment weekly highlights—31 October 2024

This week’s edition of Employment weekly highlights includes: (1) key employment announcements in the Autumn Budget 2024, (2) an article discussing the ESG ‘washing’ phenomenon, (3) confirmation of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage (NLW) rates from 1 April 2025, (4) the Office for National Statistics (ONS) 2024 annual survey of working hours and earnings, (5) analysis by Rowena Wisniewska Sethi, barrister and Isabella Taylor, pupil at 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square of a First Tier Tribunal decision varying a ‘disproportionate’ escalating penalty issued by the Pensions Regulator, (6) a reminder that the duty to prevent workplace sexual harassment has come into force, (7) an EAT decision on the Armed Forces provisions of the Equality Act 2010, (8) UK gender pay gap data for 2024 from the ONS, (9) the increasing involvement of white collar crime lawyers in investigations of allegations of non-financial misconduct, (10) analysis by Victoria Hordern, partner at Taylor Wessing LLP, Kuan Hon, Of Counsel at Dentons, and Dan Whitehead, Counsel at Hogan Lovells of the Data (Use and Access) Bill, (11) Regulations making provision for the TUPE transfer of staff from the Phone-paid Services Authority Ltd (PSA) to the Office of Communications (OFCOM) on 1 February 2025, (12) a Court of Appeal decision rejecting the EAT’s suggestion that ‘general workforce consultation’ is required in small-scale redundancies in order for a dismissal to be fair, (13) updates to various Worker and Temporary Worker sponsor guidance documents confirming that the Home Office has commenced the roll-out of its new ‘Sponsor UK’ IT system, (14) a House of Lords report on modern slavery, (15) an Irish Order specifying the national minimum hourly rate of pay and board and lodging rates in Ireland from 1 January 2025, (16) dates for your diary, (17) updates to our case and legislation trackers and horizon scanner, and (18) new Q&As.

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