I’ve been dismissed.
Losing a job is a shock, and the time limits to challenge a dismissal can be short. Before you decide anything, get three things straight: what happened and when, what you were told in writing, and the deadline where you live.
How it works
From the day it happens to a claim.
Tap each step to see what usually happens. Whether a dismissal can be unfair, and the time limits, differ a lot by place: choose yours below.
A general outline. Every job is different.
General information, checked against official sources on 2 October 2026. It isn’t advice about your case. The rules in their own words ↓
The first week
What many people find helpful in the first week.
Seven steps, in order:
- Day 1Find your time limit.From the official page for where you live. Put it in your calendar, with a reminder two weeks before.
- Day 1Write it all down.What happened, what was said, who was there, the dates.
- Day 2Ask for the reasons in writing.Politely, by email, so there’s a record.
- Day 2Save your papers.Contract, payslips, handbook, appraisals, and the dismissal letter.
- Day 3Check your final pay.Wages, notice, and untaken holiday.
- Day 3Get free information and help.Acas, the WRC, the Fair Work Commission, Employment New Zealand, or advice from a one-task lawyer.
- Look after yourself.It’s a hard week. Talk to someone.
Don’t sign a settlement or exit agreement before you understand what you’re giving up. Ask for time to get advice.
Free tool
What to gather, ticked off.
A checklist of the papers worth having after a dismissal. Ticks stay in this browser; print it when you’re done.
A general list, not advice for your country or your case. Courts can have their own rules on what to send and when.
See what a prepared case looks like: a dismissal case, made with PROVEAiBLE →
See it in the app
The reason they gave, against the record.
- Add your papers.Contract, letters, emails, meeting notes. Before the language model reads a word, names become tags.
- It spots what doesn’t add up.“Following two written warnings” against “No formal warning given”: both quoted, with their papers.
- It quotes the law where you live. Coming in early accessThe sections that apply to your case, in the law’s own words, with a link to the official text. Change the country above and it changes too.
- It prepares the chronology.Your employment in date order, each step with its paper, and what’s missing.
Sample case. Names and papers are fictional. PROVEAiBLE is built for any case where papers matter.
What the rules say
The law, in its own words.
Five questions about dismissal, answered only from the law and official guidance, with the passage that answers it highlighted.
Quoted from the official text. It isn’t advice about your situation, and employment law changes often: check the official site. In the US and Canada employment law is set by each state and province; California and Ontario are shown as examples.
Questions people ask
The questions that keep you up at night.
How long do I have to make a claim?
It depends where you live, and it can be short: 21 days in Australia, 90 days to raise a personal grievance in New Zealand, 6 months in Ireland, and in England and Wales 6 months from the date your job ended for problems from 1 October 2026 (older problems may still be on the old 3-month limit). In California it’s generally 1 year for retaliation and 3 years for discrimination. Check the official page for your exact date.
Can I be dismissed without a reason?
In some places, yes. California employment is “at will”, and Ontario’s Employment Standards Act doesn’t require a reason, though some reasons are never allowed. In England and Wales, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, the fairness of the reason and the process can be challenged if you qualify (for example, usually after 2 years’ service in England and Wales, 1 year in Ireland, 6 months in Australia).
Do I get notice or pay in lieu?
It depends where you live. England and Wales: 1 week after a month’s work, then 1 week per full year from 2 years, up to 12. Ireland, Australia and Ontario: set by length of service. New Zealand: your agreement, or reasonable notice. California: no legal minimum. Your contract may give more.
Should I sign the settlement agreement?
Not before you understand what you’re giving up. Ask for time to get advice. A signed settlement usually ends your claim.
What if I was dismissed for something discriminatory?
Discrimination at work is against the law in all six places, but what counts, where you complain and the time limits differ, and this guide doesn’t cover them. In California it’s the Civil Rights Department. Get advice early: the limits can be short.
Do I need a lawyer?
Not always. Many people use conciliation, the WRC, the Fair Work Commission and the Employment Relations Authority without lawyers. Free advice can tell you whether your situation needs one, and a lawyer for one task, such as checking a settlement, can be worth it.
You’re not alone
You don’t have to do this alone.
Many people bring these claims without a lawyer, using services built for them. Free help can tell you whether your situation needs a lawyer; watch the time limits, and ask early.
Showing help for England & Wales. Change it with “Where you live” above.
“I built this after going through a court case myself.” — Andrew, founder
With a lawyer or without one, walk in with your papers in order.
PROVEAiBLE reads your papers, sets out the facts with their pages, shows where the papers disagree, quotes the law for where you live, and prepares your papers for the hearing. It never tells you which legal step to take, or how it will turn out. Law for more countries: coming in early access
Sources, checked 2 October 2026
- England & Wales: GOV.UK – Dismissal; Employment Rights Act 1996; GOV.UK – Dismissal; Acas – Early conciliation; Acas – Employment Rights Act 2025
- Ireland: Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 (Revised Act, Law Reform Commission); Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Act 1973 (Revised Act); Citizens Information (Citizens Information Board)
- Australia: Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth), Compilation No. 73 (7 July 2026); Fair Work Commission
- United States (California): California Labor Code; California Labor Code; California Labor Code; California Civil Rights Department
- Canada (Ontario): Ontario – Your guide to the Employment Standards Act; Ontario – Your guide to the Employment Standards Act
- New Zealand: Employment New Zealand (MBIE); Employment New Zealand (MBIE); Employment New Zealand (MBIE)
General information, not legal advice. Laws, rules and court processes change; check the official pages and your own papers before you act.