Dismissed in Kuala Lumpur? Speak to a lawyer
You work in Kuala Lumpur and are deciding whether a lawyer should act for you.
Kuala Lumpur is home to corporate, finance and retail employers. It also hosts the headquarters of the process itself, so the offices that handle your claim are close to your desk.
Where does the Kuala Lumpur process run?
A worker dismissed in the city can lodge a written representation with the Director General of Industrial Relations, whose headquarters is in Kuala Lumpur. The deadline is 60 days from dismissal1.
Conciliation follows once the representation is lodged, and solicitors may not represent either party in that meeting2. From the Industrial Court stage onward, a lawyer can act for you.
How do corporate and retail dismissals play out in the city?
Staff around KLCC, TRX and the Golden Triangle work under corporate structures where a dismissal can arrive labelled as a restructuring or a performance issue. Retail and hospitality roles near Bukit Bintang can end suddenly for other reasons.
Knowing when a lawyer’s role starts helps you avoid signing something away before that point.
When should you reach out from Kuala Lumpur?
The right time is before you sign a settlement or a resignation letter. Send the date you were dismissed and what happened, and an independent employment lawyer serving Kuala Lumpur may review the facts.
They reply about whether, and how, they can act. That can be a short exchange, and nothing is filed until you decide.
What should you do this week?
Write down your dismissal date, the reason given and a short timeline leading up to it. Gather your contract, appraisal records and any messages about the ending.
Check the 60-day deadline while it is still running, because the days count down from your last working day whether or not you act.
If you want a lawyer to act on a dismissal, send the date you were dismissed and what happened. An independent employment lawyer serving Kuala Lumpur may review whether it is worth pursuing and handle the claim if it is.
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
I work near KLCC in a corporate role. Does my salary change whether I can claim?
No. The Section 20 route covers workmen regardless of pay, including staff on corporate salaries near KLCC or the Golden Triangle. What matters is your employment status and how your job ended, not your pay grade.
My employer near KL Sentral offered a settlement before I could get advice. Should I sign it first?
Get advice before signing. A signed settlement can be hard to reopen, so you need to know what it gives up before you agree to it.
Why does Kuala Lumpur matter beyond being where I work?
It also hosts the national headquarters of the Industrial Court and the Department of Industrial Relations, so a Kuala Lumpur claim does not have to travel to reach either body.
Sources
- A worker dismissed without just cause or excuse may make a written representation to the Director General of Industrial Relations seeking reinstatement within 60 days of the dismissal under Section 20 of the Industrial Relations Act 1967. Mah Weng Kwai & Associates
- After a representation is lodged the Department of Industrial Relations arranges conciliation, and solicitors are not permitted to represent the parties at that conciliation stage. Mah Weng Kwai & Associates
Keep reading
If you want a lawyer to act on a dismissal, send the date you were dismissed and what happened. An independent employment lawyer serving Kuala Lumpur may review whether it is worth pursuing and handle the claim if it is.
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.