Dismissed From A Sabah Job
A Sabah employer ended your job and you want to know where you stand.
Sabah jobs are not only in Kota Kinabalu. Palm oil estates ring Sandakan and Lahad Datu, and port and offshore work lines the coast.
The Industrial Court has a branch in Kota Kinabalu.
Where the claim is heard
A dismissed Sabah worker has 60 days from the dismissal to send a written representation to the Director General of Industrial Relations.1
If conciliation fails to settle the case, it moves to the Industrial Court, and JPPM confirms which branch hears it. You can prepare the paperwork from wherever you live in Sabah.
Estate, port and city jobs
An estate worker near Lahad Datu, a port worker on the east coast and an office worker in Kota Kinabalu all use the same process.
Separately from a dismissal claim, the Employment Insurance System gives temporary help to a worker who loses a job involuntarily.2 That claim should also be made within 60 days.
Starting from anywhere in Sabah
You can message from Sandakan, Tawau or Lahad Datu as easily as from Kota Kinabalu. Living far from the capital does not delay the early steps.
Your next step
Write down what happened at your Sabah job in order, with dates. Keep your contract, payslips and any letter about the ending.
Then check the deadline calculator to confirm your 60 days, and look at your Employment Insurance System claim in the same week.
If you want a lawyer to act, send those dates and facts to an independent employment lawyer. They can review them and reply on whether and how they can take the matter forward.
If you want a lawyer to take on your dismissal in Sabah, send the date it happened and what your employer said. An independent employment lawyer serving Sabah may review the facts and reply on 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 estate near Lahad Datu and lost my job suddenly. Where does my claim get heard?
Through the Industrial Court, which has a branch in Kota Kinabalu. JPPM confirms which branch hears a claim from Lahad Datu, and your written representation can be prepared there first.
Can I claim from PERKESO at the same time as pursuing a dismissal claim?
Yes. The Employment Insurance System run by PERKESO gives temporary help after involuntary job loss, and the claim should be made within 60 days of termination. It runs separately from your Section 20 representation.
Does working in Sandakan instead of Kota Kinabalu change my rights?
No. The Section 20 process is the same across Sabah, whether your job was in Sandakan, Tawau or Kota Kinabalu. Only the town you start the paperwork from changes.
Sources
- A worker dismissed without just cause or excuse may make a written representation to the Director General of Industrial Relations seeking reinstatement within 60 days of the dismissal under Section 20 of the Industrial Relations Act 1967. Mah Weng Kwai & Associates
- The Employment Insurance System run by PERKESO gives temporary financial help to those who lose their jobs involuntarily, and a claim should be made within 60 days of termination. malaysia.gov.my (PERKESO EIS)
Keep reading
If you want a lawyer to take on your dismissal in Sabah, send the date it happened and what your employer said. An independent employment lawyer serving Sabah may review the facts and reply on 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.