How To Prepare To File Your Claim
You plan to file and want your papers ready before the deadline.
Good preparation means the right documents and clear facts before you write a word. Start with three papers: your contract, the dismissal letter or message, and your payslips.
Why do these documents matter?
Your employer has to prove the dismissal was fair.2 Anything that shows the reason you were given, and how you actually performed, helps your side.
Warnings, appraisals and messages about the dismissal all count. Keep them in date order.
What details must be exactly right?
Take your employer’s registered name from your contract or payslips. Filing against the wrong name is an error you can avoid.
Confirm your last day of work as well, because that date starts your 60-day window.1
How do you write your account?
Write a short, factual account of what happened, in order, with dates. It becomes the base of your written representation.
Clarity matters more than length. One page that is easy to follow beats five that wander.
What if some documents are missing?
It is common to lack papers right after a dismissal, especially if your work email was cut off. Note what is missing instead of delaying the filing.
Some documents can still be requested or rebuilt afterwards. Preparation carries on after you file.
What do you do with what you gather?
Check your dates on the 60-day deadline calculator so you know how much time remains. The Section 20 representation page shows what the finished letter should look like.
If the case moves on, read how to prepare for the Industrial Court and how the Industrial Court works.
If you want a lawyer to act for you, send your dismissal date and what happened. An independent employment lawyer can review the facts and reply about whether and how they can act.
If you are preparing a Section 20 claim, an independent employment lawyer can review your dismissal date and the 60-day limit and tell you how they would act on it.
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
What must the representation include?
Your details, your employer's exact registered name, your dismissal date, and a short account of what happened and why you think it was unfair. Keep it factual.
Which documents should I have ready?
Your contract, the dismissal letter or message, payslips, and any warnings or appraisals linked to the reason given. They support your account at conciliation.
Do I need a lawyer to help me prepare?
No, but a short review before filing can confirm your dates and the correct employer name.
How soon should I start?
As soon as you can. The 60-day window keeps running while you gather papers, and details are fresh early on.
Sources
- An employee who considers they were dismissed without just cause or excuse may make a written representation to the Director General of Industrial Relations, asking to be reinstated, within 60 days of the dismissal Mah Weng Kwai & Associates
- In an unfair dismissal case the burden falls on the employer to prove the dismissal was for just cause or excuse Mah Weng Kwai & Associates
Keep reading
If you are preparing a Section 20 claim, an independent employment lawyer can review your dismissal date and the 60-day limit and tell you how they would act on it.
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.