Most employees are put ‘on probation’ in a new employment before their position is confirmed.
Most employment contracts will state that the position will only be confirmed on satisfactory completion of the probationary period.
A typical clause in an employment contract will read ‘Subject to satisfactory completion of the probationary period specified below, you will be employed on a full time permanent basis until your employment is terminated by either party giving to the other the notice period specified in the notice clause’, or words to that effect.
Employee suitability
During the probationary period the employee’s suitability for the role will be assessed and it also allows the employee become integrated into the organisation and learn the ethos of the employer’s business.
The duration of a probationary period can range from 3 months to 11 months but should not exceed 12 months, regardless.
Also, even if a probationary period is for 6 months there will almost certainly be a provision in the contract for the extension of the period up to the maximum 11/12 months.
Review meetings
Regular review meetings should be held during probation and feedback given to the employee as to how she is doing with a final meeting just before the end of the probationary period. If the employee is underperforming, she should be advised of this as soon as possible.
At the end of the probationary period the employee should be told whether they have passed, failed, or the period is to be extended.
If the final decision is termination the likelihood is the contract will provide for only 1 week’s notice from the employer during the probation period. The employee may have the right to appeal this decision but the full panoply of policies and procedures-such as disciplinary and/or grievance and/or dignity at work-will not be open to the probationary employee.
However, there will be some method by which a formal grievance or complaint may be made by the employee and there will be a disciplinary procedure, albeit a truncated or amended version of the full procedure.
Probation dismissal
As an employee who is dismissed on or at the end of probation he will not have the necessary 12 months’ service to avail of the reliefs provided by the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977.
There are some limited remedies open to the employee, however, which do not require 12 months’ service. Such claims would be founded on a discriminatory ground or perhaps for having made a protected disclosure.
Further reading
Options open to probationary employees
Advice for employees on probation