Dismissed From a Kuala Lumpur Office Job
You lost a corporate job in the city centre and are unsure what comes next.
Kuala Lumpur’s office towers around KLCC and Jalan Sultan Ismail hold many of the country’s banking, finance and professional services jobs. A dismissal from one of them can feel sudden and confusing.
This page sets out how the process works for a worker let go inside the city.
Who does this page speak to?
The corporate core covers banking and finance, professional services, technology, media and retail.
A bank officer handed a sudden termination and a retail manager pressured into quitting both fall under the same unfair dismissal route. Pay grade does not change that.2
If a manager’s conduct made your role impossible to keep, that sits closer to forced resignation than a straightforward termination. The evidence you gather for each looks different.
Where is a Kuala Lumpur case heard?
A claim from here does not need to travel far. The Industrial Court sits at its own headquarters inside the city.1
The court also has branches in Penang, Ipoh, Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching. Conciliation comes before a claim can reach that court, and it runs through the JPPM office for Kuala Lumpur (Jabatan Perhubungan Perusahaan Malaysia).
A written representation has to reach the Director General of Industrial Relations within 60 days of the dismissal. Count from your last working day, not the date on the letter.
Use the deadline calculator to fix that exact date first.
What is different about working here?
Termination letters from KLCC, Bukit Bintang and Jalan Sultan Ismail employers often cite notice periods or non compete clauses. These can read as more final than they are, and neither closes the matter on its own.
What should you hold onto before you file?
Keep your offer letter, appraisal history, termination letter and any email that shows how the decision was reached. Early evidence is easier to gather now than to reconstruct later.
A Section 20 representation is short. It works best once your dates and documents are lined up, so sort them before the 60 days run out.
If you want a lawyer to act, send your dates and what happened. An independent lawyer may review the facts and replies about whether and how they can act.
If you want an employment lawyer to take your Kuala Lumpur dismissal on, send the date and what happened. An independent employment lawyer may review the facts and replies about whether and how they can act.
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
Does it matter that my old employer's office was near KLCC or Bukit Bintang?
No. The route is the same whether your desk sat in KLCC, Bukit Bintang or a smaller office off Jalan Sultan Ismail. What matters is your dismissal date, your documents and whether the employer had just cause, not which tower you worked in.
I was on a bank's contract staff, not permanent payroll. Does Section 20 still apply?
Contract and confirmed staff are both covered as workmen under Section 20, though the remedy calculation can differ. Bring your contract and any renewal history along with your termination letter so the difference can be worked out properly.
Where would my case actually be heard if I worked in KL?
The Industrial Relations Department (JPPM) can confirm which branch will hear your case. The court has its headquarters in Kuala Lumpur. Conciliation, the step before that, runs through the JPPM office for Kuala Lumpur.
Sources
- The Industrial Court sits at its Kuala Lumpur headquarters with branches including Penang, Ipoh, Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching. Mahkamah Perusahaan Malaysia, contact
- The unfair dismissal route under Section 20 covers all workmen, including employees earning above RM4,000 a month, even though some Employment Act benefit provisions are limited by wage. MECA, Industrial Relations Act 1967 Guide
Keep reading
If you want an employment lawyer to take your Kuala Lumpur dismissal on, send the date and what happened. An independent employment lawyer may review the facts and replies about whether and how they can act.
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.