I saw a new client before my one week break. He’d been sacked out of the blue. It was clearly an unfair dismissal and he was under the Fair Work Australia $129,300 threshold, but he was paid 4 months’ salary in lieu of notice and the maximum payout is 6 months, less legal fees, so it was not pragmatic to fight it. However, he was not actually told why he was sacked.
They also kicked him out of a small business which he had been running next door, but using their computers for records, with the employer’s consent, mind you.
An e-mail and a telephone call later from me, and some private discussions between him and the CEO from my office and he had an explanation for his dismissal, a good reference, and an extra $5k, which more than covered my fee. And he was going to quit soon anyway!
For initial advice and settlement of employment disputes, see Michael Paterson & Associates.