The Kuala Lumpur Industrial Court Headquarters
You worked in Kuala Lumpur or Selangor and want to know what a hearing involves.
Kuala Lumpur is the headquarters of the Industrial Court, the tribunal that hears unfair dismissal claims once conciliation does not resolve them. This page explains what to expect there.
What is the Kuala Lumpur headquarters?
The Industrial Court sits nationwide, with its headquarters in Kuala Lumpur and branches in Penang, Ipoh, Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching.1
JPPM confirms which branch hears your case. Claims heard here are treated no differently from claims filed elsewhere.
Which workers bring claims here?
Dismissal claims come from every industry. That includes banking, professional services and technology firms in the city centre, and manufacturing, logistics and technology employers across Selangor.
Workers from Shah Alam’s factories, Cyberjaya’s technology parks, Port Klang’s shipping firms and Petaling Jaya’s corporate offices follow the same process, and JPPM confirms which branch hears each case.
What happens at a hearing?
Your employer presents its case first, since the law places the burden of proving just cause or excuse for the dismissal on them, not on you.2 Your contract, warning letters and appraisals matter more than memory alone.
The setting is more formal than conciliation, and it is where a lawyer can speak for you directly in the room.
How do you reach this stage?
Your route starts with a Section 20 representation filed within 60 days of your dismissal, then conciliation at JPPM. If that meeting does not resolve the dispute, the case moves to the Industrial Court for a hearing.
You can check your exact deadline if you are unsure how much time is left to file.
What should you do now?
If your case has already been referred here, gather your contract, dismissal letter and any written warnings, in date order. If you are earlier in the process, the same preparation is not wasted.
If you want a lawyer to act for you at this stage, send your dismissal date and where your claim stands. An independent lawyer may review the facts and replies about whether and how they can act.
If you worked in Kuala Lumpur or Selangor, send your dismissal date and the stage your claim has reached. An independent employment lawyer can review it and represent you if it is a case they can take on.
For people seeking legal representation. For general information, please use our guides and tools.
First contact: general facts only, such as date, location, employment status and a short summary. Keep documents private until an identified independent lawyer contacts you and specifically requests them.
Common questions
Does every unfair dismissal case in Malaysia end up at the Kuala Lumpur court?
Not necessarily. The court has its headquarters in Kuala Lumpur and branches in Penang, Ipoh, Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching, and JPPM confirms which branch hears your case.
I worked in Cyberjaya or Shah Alam. Which court hears my case?
JPPM confirms which branch hears your case. Do not assume it from where you live now.
Can a lawyer represent me once my case reaches this court?
Yes. Unlike conciliation at JPPM, where solicitors cannot represent you, a lawyer can represent you once your matter is referred to the Industrial Court. Many workers bring one in before the hearing to prepare properly.
How is this different from the conciliation stage before it?
Conciliation is a settlement meeting run by an officer, with no formal ruling. The Industrial Court is a tribunal that hears both sides and can make an award, so the process is more structured and more formal.
Sources
- The Industrial Court sits nationwide with its headquarters in Kuala Lumpur and branches in Penang, Ipoh, Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching. Mahkamah Perusahaan Malaysia, contact
- The burden of proving just cause or excuse for a dismissal rests on the employer, not the employee, once a case reaches the Industrial Court. Mah Weng Kwai & Associates, Unfair Dismissal
Keep reading
If you worked in Kuala Lumpur or Selangor, send your dismissal date and the stage your claim has reached. An independent employment lawyer can review it and represent you if it is a case they can take on.
For people seeking legal representation. For general information, please use our guides and tools.
First contact: general facts only, such as date, location, employment status and a short summary. Keep documents private until an identified independent lawyer contacts you and specifically requests them.