Work out your dismissal deadline
Enter one date and see how many days you have left.
How does the 60-day window work?
If you believe you were dismissed without a fair reason, you can ask to be reinstated. You do this by lodging a written representation with the Director General of Industrial Relations within 60 days of your dismissal.1
The count runs in calendar days, not working days, so weekends and holidays are included. That is why the window closes sooner than people expect.
How do you use the calculator?
Enter the date your employment ended. The tool adds the 60 days and shows you the exact deadline, plus how many days are left from today.
Treat the result as a guide to plan around, not a legal ruling. If your dates are complicated, confirm them with a lawyer before you rely on them.
Which date counts as your dismissal?
Use the date your employment actually ended, which is usually your last working day or the date the dismissal took effect in your letter.
If you were dismissed with notice, the 60 days run from the end of the notice period.2
If you were forced out and resigned, the clock usually runs from your last day, not from when the trouble started. If your dates are unusual, treat the earliest sensible date as the start and confirm it with a lawyer.
What mistakes do people make with the deadline?
A common mistake is counting on getting to the last day. Evidence goes missing, replies get delayed, and the window closes faster than people expect.
Another is assuming that settlement talks with your employer pause the clock, which they do not. Keep preparing your claim in parallel, so a stalled negotiation does not cost you the deadline.
A third is thinking that signing a letter or accepting a final payment ends your rights. Signing to say you received a document is not the same as agreeing the dismissal was fair.
What should you do with your result?
If you have plenty of time, use it to gather your letter, contract and any messages, and to read how to lodge a Section 20 representation.
If the window is tight, make speaking to a lawyer your next move. You can also read what unfair dismissal means so the conversation is quicker.
If you want a lawyer to act within the time you have left, send your dismissal date and what happened. An independent lawyer can review the facts and reply about whether and how they can act.
Common questions
Which date do I enter, my last working day or the letter date?
Use the date your employment actually ended. That is usually your last working day or the date the dismissal took effect. If the two differ and you are unsure, enter the earlier one and confirm with a lawyer, because the deadline is strict.
What if the 60 days has already passed?
Do not assume the door is closed. Limited exceptions and related routes can exist, and only a lawyer looking at your facts can tell you. It is still worth asking, quickly, rather than giving up.
Is the deadline really that strict?
Yes. The 60-day window to lodge a Section 20 representation is a firm limit. Treat it as a hard deadline and act well before it, not on the last day.
Sources
- An employee who considers they were dismissed without just cause or excuse may lodge a written representation to the Director General of Industrial Relations within 60 days of the dismissal (Section 20, Industrial Relations Act 1967). Mah Weng Kwai & Associates, Unfair Dismissal
- Under Section 20(1A) of the Industrial Relations Act 1967, a worker dismissed with notice may file a representation during the notice period, but not later than 60 days after the notice expires. CommonLII, Industrial Relations Act 1967
Keep reading
Once the calculator gives you the date, an independent employment lawyer can review your dismissal and, if you are thinking of a claim, act within the time left.
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.