Can I be fired without notice?
Yes, in some situations. Your employer might say that they are firing you because of something you did or did not do. They might say that they have “cause” to fire you without giving you any notice. Having cause means that they had a good reason.
If this happens, try to get legal advice. Sometimes employers are wrong about what is a good reason. See page 19 for where to get legal help.
Here are some examples of when an employer might have the right to fire you without giving you any notice:
- You stole from your employer.
- You damaged your employer’s property on purpose.
- You threatened or assaulted someone at work.
- You refused to do something that is an important part of your job, unless you have a good reason. A good reason could be refusing to do work that is not safe.
Even if you did something wrong, your employer might not have the right to fire you without notice. For example, this might apply if:
- what you did was not very serious
- your employer did not give you a chance to correct your behaviour
- you have worked for your employer for a long time
And the ESA says that your employer does not have to give you notice if you worked for them for less than 3 months.
Get legal advice if you think:
- your employer was wrong to fire you without notice, or
- you should get more notice.