Surviving the sack
Out on your ear clutching a P45? Don't panic, there's still hope.
Losing your job can be a major blow and a hard one to overcome. Once the initial shock has worn off, you have to act quickly. Firstly, decide whether you feel you've been unfairly dismissed.
Unfair dismissal
This includes being sacked for union membership, asking for the minimum wage, blowing the whistle on someone, or carrying out Health and Safety measures. If you think you've been dismissed unfairly, you must act fast if you want to make a complaint. This is because there is a three-month time limit for taking your employer to an employment tribunal (or industrial tribunal in Northern Ireland).
A fair cop
If you've broken your work's rules of conduct, stolen things, lied outrageously on your CV or haven't been doing your job properly, then they're probably within their rights to terminate your employment. The majority of people who get sacked fall into this category.
What should you do?
- You may be able to come to an agreement with your employer if you promise to improve your performance. They might give you one last chance.
- Talk to your union, if you belong to one. They might be able to negotiate on your behalf.
- Grovel. Admit that you made mistakes and learn from the experience.
- Ask for a written explanation. You are entitled to a written statement explaining why you have been dismissed if you are an employee who has completed at least one year's service, are employed under a fixed-term contract which has expired, or you've been dismissed while pregnant or on maternity or adoption leave.
- Sign on. Get down to the Jobcentre as soon as possible and register as unemployed.
- If you're feeling sore after the experience, don't seek revenge as it's likely to backfire. Above all, you might need a reference.
- Keep your P45 as your next employer will need it to sort your pay and tax.
Going for another job
If you've been sacked, it's tempting to lie about it when you're filling in application forms for new employment. Sometimes it's acceptable to say that you had a 'difference of opinion', but it depends upon the situation. Place more emphasis on your achievements and what you learned from the job than your reason for leaving.
Outright lies are often uncovered and many employers are now using checking agencies to make sure that applicants are not being dishonest.
If your ex-employer writes you a reference, they're allowed to include accurate information, e.g. if you were disciplined while working for them. They can also choose to give a reference that only confirms your dates of employment. Once you start working for a new employer, you can ask them for a copy of any reference they've been given about you - they should supply it under data protection law.
If you really hated the line of work you were in, consider this to be an opportunity to look around for something you might enjoy more. Getting sacked might seem like a catastrophe at the time, but many people have found that it helped them establish a more fulfilling career. In the long run, you may find things turn out for the best.
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