Dismissed From a Job in Sabah
If you were let go in Sabah, JPPM confirms which Industrial Court branch hears your claim.
Sabah’s economy runs on plantation work, tourism around Kota Kinabalu and a growing services sector. Each feeds a different kind of dismissal.
All of them go through the same Section 20 process. JPPM can confirm which Industrial Court branch hears each one.
Plantation work and the retrenchment cycle
A plantation retrenchment in Sabah is judged on the reason your employer gives. If that reason does not match the timing of your dismissal, write down the mismatch.
Hotel and tourism jobs around Kota Kinabalu more often end after a change of owner or manager than through a seasonal cycle.
How Sabah’s labour rules fit in
Sabah applies its own Labour Ordinance for everyday entitlements. This sits apart from the Employment Act used elsewhere in the country.
Even so, the Section 20 unfair dismissal route applies to Sabah the same way it applies nationally.1 It covers employees (the law says workmen) regardless of salary.
A higher salary at a Kota Kinabalu office does not put you outside this process.
Filing a Sabah case
The Industrial Court has a branch in Kota Kinabalu.2 Ask JPPM which Industrial Court branch will hear your claim.
The JPPM office for Sabah runs conciliation first. The same deadline calculator works out your filing date.
If reinstatement to your old role matters to you, say so early. It shapes what your representation asks for.
If you want an employment lawyer to act, send your industry, your dismissal date and what happened. An independent lawyer may review the facts and replies about whether and how they can act.
If your Sabah job on a plantation, in a hotel or in a Kota Kinabalu office ended and you want a lawyer to act, send your dates 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
I work on a palm oil plantation in Sabah and was let go outside the usual harvest cycle. Does that matter?
It can be a useful detail if your employer's stated reason does not match the timing, since it may point away from a genuine business need. Keep records of the harvest schedule and when your role was cut.
I have heard Sabah has its own labour law. Does that change how I file an unfair dismissal claim?
Sabah's own Labour Ordinance governs everyday entitlements such as leave. The unfair dismissal route under Section 20 of the Industrial Relations Act still applies across the country, Sabah included. You still file through the same Director General process.
My hotel job in Kota Kinabalu ended after a change in management. Where is my case heard?
The Industrial Court has a branch in Kota Kinabalu, and JPPM can confirm which Industrial Court branch hears a case from a hotel, an office or a plantation. The JPPM office for Sabah handles conciliation before that stage.
Sources
- 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
- The Industrial Court sits at its Kuala Lumpur headquarters with branches including Penang, Ipoh, Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching. Mahkamah Perusahaan Malaysia, contact
Keep reading
If your Sabah job on a plantation, in a hotel or in a Kota Kinabalu office ended and you want a lawyer to act, send your dates 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.