Unfair dismissals - lodge within 21 days
A recent case in the Fair Work Commission highlights the importance of lodging your unfair dismissal application within 21 days of being sacked. In some cases the Fair Work Commission may grant an extension of time but only if there are "exceptional circumstances." In a recent case an employee claimed that her circumstances were:
*exacerbation of depression, anxiety and panic attacks; the death of her father; the death of a close friend; financial considerations arising from the termination of her employment including the sale of her house; changes to her medication regime, and uncertainty regarding the circumstances surrounding her sacking. The Fair Work Commission ruled that these were not exception circumstances as she did not provide enough evidence to support her claims. The moral of the story is to make sure that you seek advice as soon as you are dismissed so that an unfair dismissal application can be lodged within the required time.
