>Chris is a partner in the Employment Law Group of the Arthur Cox Belfast Office in Northern Ireland.
Chris has extensive experience dealing with both contentious and non-contentious employment law matters. Chris advises a range of employers on all aspects of employment law including executive appointments, severance, grievances, disciplinary issues and trade union matters. Chris has represented clients before the Industrial Tribunal, Fair Employment Tribunal and the Court of Appeal in Northern Ireland in employment litigation such as unfair dismissal, equality/discrimination and whistleblowing. Chris’ practice area includes advisory work and corporate transactions.
Can employment be terminated during the probationary period? If so, what are the risks to employers?
The purpose of a probationary period is to assess whether the employee is suitable for the job. Probationary periods can be for varying periods of time, but standard practice is generally six months. We recommend that provision is also included in the contract of employment for the extension of the probationary period providing any final decision is taken well in advance of the employee accruing 12 months continuous service (see further comments below regarding the risk of unfair dismissal in this regard).
Employment can be terminated during the probationary period if the expected standard is not being achieved (even after substantial training and supervision).
Continue reading
We help hundreds of people like you understand how the latest changes in employment law impact your business.
Please log in to view the full article.
What you'll get:
- Help understand the ramifications of each important case from NI, GB and Europe
- Ensure your organisation's policies and procedures are fully compliant with NI law
- 24/7 access to all the content in the Legal Island Vault for research case law and HR issues
- Receive free preliminary advice on workplace issues from the employment team
Already a subscriber? Log in now or start a free trial