Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Related legal acts

Key definition

Unfair dismissal definition

What does Unfair dismissal mean? In practice, unfair dismissal describes an employee’s statutory claim that their employment was terminated without a fair reason and/or a fair procedure. In England & Wales and Scotland it is governed by the Employment Rights Act 1996; in Northern Ireland by the Employment Rights (Northern Ireland) Order 1996; and in Ireland by the Unfair Dismissals Acts 1977–2015. Employers must show a potentially fair reason (conduct, capability, redundancy, statutory restriction, or some other substantial reason) and that dismissal fell within the range of reasonable responses after a reasonable investigation and a fair process. In Great Britain, compliance with...

Unfair Dismissal Time Limits in the Employment Tribunal: ERA 1996 s111, Early Conciliation Extensions, ‘Not Reasonably Practicable’ Test, and Claims During Notice (England, Wales and Scotland)

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Practice notes

This Practice Note examines the deadline for lodging or submitting an Unfair dismissal claim in the employment tribunal under section 111 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (ERA 1996). It addresses potential qualifications to the usual three-month period running from the Effective date of termination (EDT), the tribunal’s discretion to extend time where it has not been reasonably practicable to present the claim within the limit, and the possibility of extending time in relation to the early conciliation requirement. It also reviews when the time limit begins where Dismissal is with notice. For detailed guidance on applying and calculating tribunal time limits generally, see Practice Note: Time limits for presenting employment tribunal claims...

The general rule—three months from the effective date of termination

An unfair dismissal complaint must ordinarily be presented to the employment tribunal before the end of the three-month period beginning with the EDT. For assistance in identifying the date on which the EDT falls, see Practice Note: Effective date of termination. For clarification of the meaning of ‘presented’, see Practice Note: Time limits for presenting employment tribunal claims—Presenting a claim...

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Web page updated on 22/05/2026

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