What to do first after dismissal
You just lost your job and need a clear first step, not a lecture.
What should you do right after being dismissed?
Write down the date you were dismissed and what was said, while the details are fresh. That date starts a 60-day countdown.
A worker who believes the dismissal had no just cause or excuse has 60 days from that date to lodge a written representation with the Director General of Industrial Relations.1
Missing that window can close off the claim, so your first task is a calendar entry, not a long letter to your former boss.
Then gather what you can still reach: the termination letter, your employment contract, recent payslips and any messages about the dismissal.
Why do the first few days matter?
Access to your work email, the HR portal and internal chat groups can end the same day. Copy performance reviews, warning letters and appraisal scores before that access closes.
Once a claim reaches the Industrial Court, your employer has to prove the dismissal was for just cause or excuse, not you.2 So your job this week is to preserve records, not to build a legal argument alone.
Do not sign a resignation letter or a full and final settlement until you have read it slowly. Ask someone you trust to read it too.
What should you do this week?
Work out your exact dismissal date with the deadline calculator, so the 60-day window is a fact, not a guess. If you plan to act, the next step is a Section 20 representation to the Industrial Relations Department, not a direct filing in the Industrial Court.
Write a short account of what happened in your own words, and date it as you write. A longer chronology makes the story easier to follow once conciliation or a hearing comes into view.
Read how the unfair dismissal process unfolds before you file.
You do not need to be sure your dismissal was unfair before you start saving evidence. If you want a lawyer to act for you, request lawyer contact first; only after an identified independent lawyer has contacted you and specifically requested the material, send your dismissal date and documents directly to that lawyer.
They can review whether it is a case they can take on.
If you are thinking of challenging your dismissal, send the date you were let go and what happened. An independent employment lawyer can review the timeline and take it forward if you have grounds.
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
Do I need a lawyer before the 60 days runs out?
No. You need the dismissal date confirmed and a written representation lodged with the Industrial Relations Department inside that window. You can speak with an employment lawyer once you have the paperwork together, but the filing step itself does not require one.
What counts as a dismissal for this deadline?
Being sacked, told not to return, or a fixed-term contract ended early can all count, along with some forced resignations. Treat the day you were told your job had ended as day one, then confirm the count with a calculator rather than guessing.
Can I still act if I resigned in anger?
Sometimes. If the resignation followed pressure, threats, or an ultimatum, it may still be treated as a dismissal in substance. Write down exactly what was said before you resigned and how quickly you changed your mind, since both details matter later.
What if I do not have the termination letter yet?
Start the count from the date you were actually told or stopped working, not the date paperwork arrives. Ask for the letter in writing where you can, and keep a written record of that request as part of your evidence file.
Sources
- A worker who believes a dismissal had no just cause or excuse has 60 days from the dismissal date to lodge a written representation with the Director General of Industrial Relations. Mah Weng Kwai & Associates
- The burden falls on the employer, not the employee, to prove the dismissal was for just cause or excuse once a claim reaches the Industrial Court. Mah Weng Kwai & Associates
Keep reading
If you are thinking of challenging your dismissal, send the date you were let go and what happened. An independent employment lawyer can review the timeline and take it forward if you have grounds.
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.