Dismissal is normally fair only if your employer can show that it is for one of the following reasons:

• a reason related to your conduct
• a reason related to your capability or qualifications for the job
• because you were redundant
• because a statutory duty or restriction prohibited the employment being continued
• some other substantial reason of a kind which justifies the dismissal

and that they acted reasonably in treating that reason as sufficient for dismissal.

Employees have the right not to be unfairly dismissed. In most circumstances you must have at least one year's continuous service before you can make a complaint to an employment tribunal. However, there is no length of service requirement in relation to 'automatically unfair grounds'. Also, the requirement is reduced to one month if you claim to have been dismissed on medical grounds as a consequence of certain health and safety requirements that should have led to suspension with pay rather than to dismissal.

A complaint of unfair dismissal must be received by an employment tribunal within three months of the effective date of termination of the employment (usually the date of leaving the job) unless the tribunal considers this was not reasonably practicable. Time limits may also be extended where statutory procedures apply - subject to certain conditions.

If both you and your employer agree, instead of going to an employment tribunal, the case may be heard by an arbitrator under the Acas Arbitration Scheme. If a tribunal establishes that a dismissal has taken place it is normally for your employer to show that it was for a fair reason and that they have, as a minimum, followed the statutory disciplinary procedures. In such cases the tribunal must then decide whether, in the circumstances, your employer acted reasonably in treating that reason as sufficient for dismissal.

Dismissals are classed as 'automatically unfair', regardless of the reasonableness of your employer's action, if you are exercising specific rights to do with:

• pregnancy: including all reasons relating to maternity
• family reasons: including parental leave, paternity leave (birth and adoption), adoption leave or time off for dependants
• representation: including acting as an employee representative and trade union membership grounds and union recognition
• part-time and fixed-term employees
• discrimination: including protection against discrimination on the grounds of age, sex, race, disability, sexual orientation and religion or belief
• pay and working hours: including the Working Time Regulations, annual leave and the National Minimum Wage

Employees who are dismissed and have completed at least one year's continuous employment are entitled to receive, on request (orally or in writing), a written statement of reasons for dismissal within 14 days. An employee dismissed during:

• her pregnancy or her ordinary or additional maternity leave
• his or her ordinary or additional adoption leave

is entitled to a written statement of the reasons regardless of length of service and regardless of whether or not the request was made.

Dismissal is normally fair only if you can show that it is for one of the following reasons:

• a reason related to the employee's conduct
• a reason related to the employee's capability or qualifications for the job
• because the employee was redundant
• because a statutory duty or restriction prohibited the employment being continued
• some other substantial reason of a kind which justifies the dismissal

and that you acted reasonably in treating that reason as sufficient for dismissal.

Employees have the right not to be unfairly dismissed. In most circumstances they must have at least one year's continuous service before they can make a complaint to an employment tribunal. However, there is no length of service requirement in relation to 'automatically unfair grounds'. Also, the requirement is reduced to one month for employees claiming to have been dismissed on medical grounds as a consequence of certain health and safety requirements that should have led to suspension with pay rather than to dismissal.

A complaint of unfair dismissal must be received by an employment tribunal within three months of the effective date of termination of the employment (usually the date of leaving the job) unless the tribunal considers this was not reasonably practicable.

In some cases if both you and your employee agree your case may be heard by an arbitrator under the Acas Arbitration Scheme. If a tribunal establishes that a dismissal has taken place it is normally for you to show that it was for a fair reason and that you have, as a minimum, followed the statutory disciplinary procedures. In such cases the tribunal must then decide whether, in the circumstances, you acted reasonably in treating that reason as sufficient for dismissal.

Dismissals are classed as 'automatically unfair', regardless of the reasonableness of your action, if an employee is exercising specific rights to do with:

• pregnancy: including all reasons relating to maternity
• family reasons: including parental leave, paternity leave (birth and adoption), adoption leave or time off for dependants
• representation: including acting as an employee representative and trade union membership grounds and union recognition
• part-time and fixed-term employees
• discrimination: including protection against discrimination on the grounds of age, sex, race, disability, sexual orientation and religion or belief
• pay and working hours: including the Working Time Regulations, annual leave and the National Minimum Wage

Employees who are dismissed and have completed at least one year's continuous employment are entitled to receive, on request (orally or in writing), a written statement of reasons for dismissal within 14 days. An employee dismissed during:

• her pregnancy or her ordinary or additional maternity leave
• his or her ordinary or additional adoption leave

is entitled to a written statement of the reasons regardless of length of service and regardless of whether or not the request was made.