Dismissed for speaking up?
You think you were targeted for something you said or did, not for your work.
Victimisation is a specific and painful pattern. You are treated badly, and finally dismissed, because of something you did that your employer disliked.
What it means
It means being singled out for unfair treatment because you used a right, raised a genuine concern or backed someone who did. Your actual work is not the reason.
A dismissal that follows such treatment is not fair just because a different reason was written down afterwards.
Why it matters to you
Timing and pattern often matter more than any single document. The real question is the link between your action and the treatment that followed.
A sudden change in how you were treated, soon after you raised a concern, is worth setting out clearly. Do not write it off as coincidence.
How do you show a link
Write down the sequence of events. Include what you raised, when, and how your treatment changed afterwards, with dates wherever you can recall them.
If your situation involved reporting wrongdoing, read about whistleblowing to see how that kind of protected action is treated.
Whatever the trigger was, check your 60-day window to challenge the dismissal on the deadline calculator.
If victimisation is part of your own dismissal and you are considering a claim, an independent employment lawyer can look at your facts and advise whether it is worth pursuing.
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
How do I show my dismissal was really victimisation?
Timing often matters a great deal. A dismissal that quickly follows a complaint, a grievance or a similar protected action can support an argument that the two were connected.
What kinds of actions usually count as the trigger?
Common triggers are raising a workplace complaint, supporting a colleague's complaint, joining a trade union, or using a legal right your employer disliked.
Keep reading
If victimisation is part of your own dismissal and you are considering a claim, an independent employment lawyer can look at your facts and advise whether it is worth pursuing.
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.