If you are unfairly dismissed and wish to bring a claim under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 you will need to have been employed continuously for 12 months.
If you do not have 12 months’ service you cannot bring a claim for unfair dismissal or constructive dismissal if you cannot clear this hurdle.
That is the bad news; the good news is there are some important exceptions to this 12 months’ service requirement. Let’s take a look at them, shall we?
Exceptions to 12 Months’ Service Requirement
- Protected disclosure-if you are dismissed for having made a protected disclosure under the Protected Disclosures act 2014 you do not need 12 months’ service
- Discrimination-if you were dismissed on a discriminatory ground you will be able to bring a claim under the Employment Equality Acts without 12 months’ service
- Trade union-an employee who is dismissed for trade union membership or activity does not require 12 months’ service
- Pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding-any dismissal connected with these issues can be brought without 12 months’ service
- Maternity protection-any dismissal arising from the exercise of a maternity right does not need 12 months’ service
- Adoptive leave-any dismissal arising from the exercise of an adoptive leave right does not need 12 months’ service
- Parental leave and force majeure leave-12 months’ service is not required for unfair dismissal claims arising from these rights
- National Minimum Wage Act, 2000-any dismissal arising from the employee seeking to exercise rights under this act can be brought without 12 months’ service
- Carer’s Leave act-12 months’ continuous service is not required.
It is inevitable that if you bring a claim the employer may well argue that you do not have the necessary 12 months’ service and will deny that you were dismissed arising from any of the exceptions set out above.
Clearly, each case will be dealt with on its own facts and circumstances but you will need to be prepared for this argument and ready to put forward facts from which it can be inferred that your dismissal did arise from the exercise of one of the categories listed above.