Firings what is Legal in the UK
There are laws in the UK to prevent employers firing or sacking people without just cause . However as with most laws there are ways around these laws and they are sometimes difficult to enforce .
If you think you are going to be fired without justification make sure you keep thorough notes of what is going on and any reliable witness details . If you are fired and need to seek the law for guidance these will help . If you are suddenly fired under the same sort of cloud gather as much information as you can and get it written down while it is still fresh and accurate .
Most established companies have policies which may lead to dismissal or just a warning . If there is such a policy in place the company will have to follow procedures . Of course if you work for a very small company they may have no such procedures . However they do still have some obligation to you .
The law has been amended recently so it would be wise first to contact your local Benefits agency who will either be able to advise you or at least point you in the right direction . The Citizens Advice Bureau would be a good place to check out the legality of any such firing .
The law does cover everyone but there are certain clauses which you will need to check . For example how long have you worked for your employer and how many hours a week do you work ?. These will have a bearing of whether you have a claim or not . It will also depend on why you have been sacked . Were you guilty of wrong doing ?. If so you will most likely have no claim .
There is also something called constructive dismissal . This is were an employer wants you to leave but does not want a legal battle on his hands by sacking you . In this case the employer will make it so difficult for you that you end up having to leave of your own accord .If this is proved the employer will have to pay out a sum of money to you and possibly be fined also .
If your company fails financially a firm can legally fire you or make you redundant . Depending on your length of service and the funds available you should get some pay , or golden handshake as it can be known .
So basically it is legal to fire someone in the UK depending on the circumstances . However if you are sacked wrongfully you will have recourse to use the law .
