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Dismissal

Employees are protected from discrimination at work during all stages of employment. This includes dismissal. It is against the law for you to be sacked or made redundant because of a personal characteristic protected under the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 such as age, disability, pregnancy or injury.

A close up of an older man staring at the camera.

Photo by Nathan Cowley from Pexels

When is a dismissal against the law?

It is against the law to dismiss you or make you redundant because of your age, disability, pregnancy or any other characteristic protected under the Equal Opportunity Act.

You cannot be dismissed because of your age

One of the most common complaints about discrimination in dismissal is because of age.

You cannot be forced to retire because you have reached a certain age. It is also against the law for your employer or coworkers to make your working environment unbearable so that you are forced to retire.

Read more about age discrimination.

You cannot be dismissed because of an injury

It is against the law for you to be dismissed simply because you have an injury. If you are given a medical retirement or dismissal, it must comply with:

  • anti-discrimination laws
  • workers’ compensation legislation
  • the relevant award or enterprise agreement.

It is the responsibility of the employer to give an injured worker time to recover and to make reasonable adjustments so they can return to work.

Read more about disability discrimination.

You cannot be dismissed because you are pregnant or on parental leave

It is against the law for an organisation to restructure its roles to make a pregnant woman redundant.

After parental leave, under Australia’s National Employment Standards, an employee has the right to return to the position they held before going on leave, including any promotion granted while on parental leave. If that position no longer exists, the employee has the right to return to an available position for which they are qualified and suited, and is nearest in status and pay to their pre-parental leave position.

Visit the Fair Work Ombudsman website for more information or read more about pregnancy discrimination.

When is dismissal not against the law?

Your employer can legally dismiss you if:

  • your work performance is unsatisfactory
  • they have genuine financial and operational reasons.

Employers have responsibilities to follow before they dismiss someone because of poor performance or financial circumstances. These include:

  • documenting unsatisfactory work performance and discussing it with the employee, as well as discussing the steps they can take to address the issue.
  • where possible, trying to accommodate reasonable requests for workplace adjustments or flexible work 
  • have a clear written policy on disciplinary, warning and dismissal arrangements
  • ensuring that the policy is applied fairly and consistently to all staff members.

Can I be legally dismissed because of injury?

You can legally be given a medical retirement or dismissal but it must comply with:

  • anti-discrimination laws
  • workers’ compensation legislation
  • the relevant award or enterprise agreement.

Your employer must also have independent medical advice, which confirms that due to your injury you are no longer able to meet the requirements of the job, and:

  • no adjustments can reasonably be made to enable you to continue working, or
  • you pose an unacceptable risk to safety in the workplace.

Download a Best Practice Guide on Managing Underperformance from the Fair Work Ombudsman.

Small business owners should check the requirements of the Small Business Fair Dismissal Code at the Fair Work Australia Website. 

Training and resources for employers

We offer training for employers as well as a number of useful resources on discrimination and the law.

Pregnancy and work: Know your rights and obligations – Jun 2017

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Address
Level 3, 204 Lygon Street Carlton Victoria 3053

General enquiries
enquiries@veohrc.vic.gov.au

Reception
1300 891 848

Enquiry line
1300 292 153 or (03) 9032 3583

Interpreters
1300 152 494

NRS Voice Relay
1300 555 727 then use 1300 292 153

Media enquiries
0447 526 642

The Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission acknowledges that we work on the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. We also work remotely and serve communities on the lands of other Traditional Custodians.

We pay our respects to their Elders past and present.