What Happens in the Industrial Court?
You have a court date coming up and want to know what the process looks like.
The word court can sound more frightening than the early stages of a dismissal case really are.
How does a case reach this stage?
A case arrives at the Industrial Court after conciliation fails and the Director General of Industrial Relations refers it forward for a hearing.
Both sides then file documents before the substance of the dismissal is argued.
What happens at the early procedural dates?
Early appearances, called mentions, are used to check filing progress, confirm timelines or set the date for the next step.
Your dismissal is not argued in full at a mention. Detailed evidence and arguments come later, at the hearing.
Where is a case heard?
The court is headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, with branches in Penang, Ipoh, Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching.1
JPPM confirms which branch hears your case. Ask early so you know where to expect your dates.
What role does a lawyer play at each stage?
Solicitors cannot represent either party at conciliation, which happens before a case reaches the court.
Legal help matters more once filings and hearings at the court are under way, where procedure and evidence count for more.
What should you do before your next date?
Keep your case reference and any documents the court asked for close at hand. Confirm the status of your filings if you are unsure.
Put every date the court gives you in a calendar, and write down who asked for which document. Missing a filing date is an avoidable way to weaken your case, so ask the court registry if a date is unclear.
If you have not yet checked how your original claim was filed, you can confirm that step and your deadline on the deadline calculator.
If your case is already in the Industrial Court process and you want a lawyer to take over, request lawyer contact first; only after an identified independent lawyer has contacted you and specifically requested the material, send your latest notice. An independent employment lawyer can act for 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
What is the first court step I should expect after a referral?
Cases typically move through filings and short procedural dates before reaching a full hearing. Early appearances are largely about progress, not arguing your case in detail.
What is a mention, and do I need to say much at one?
A mention is a short procedural date, often used to confirm filing progress or set the next date. It rarely requires you to argue your case on the spot.
Which branch will actually hear my case?
JPPM confirms which branch hears your case, whether that is the Kuala Lumpur headquarters or one of the regional branches.
Do I need a lawyer for every stage of this process?
Solicitors cannot represent either side at conciliation, but legal help becomes more relevant once a case moves toward filings and a hearing at the court itself.
Sources
- The Industrial Court is headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, with branches in Penang, Ipoh, Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching. Mahkamah Perusahaan Malaysia, contact
Keep reading
If your case is already in the Industrial Court process and you want a lawyer to take over, request lawyer contact first; only after an identified independent lawyer has contacted you and specifically requested the material, send your latest notice. An independent employment lawyer can act for 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.