Letter of Termination

[Snowingagain]

Could someone tell me if it is illegal for an employer to send a letter of termination to someone who lives on their own? I've heard that this is illegal if the recipient lives on their own. Also, would this apply to a volunteer as well? Thank you.

[flowerchild]

Could someone tell me if it is illegal for an employer to send a letter of termination to someone who lives on their own? I've heard that this is illegal if the recipient lives on their own. Also, would this apply to a volunteer as well? Thank you.

 

You mean a letter stating your employment has been terminated, a.k.a. "you're fired!"?

What's termination of employment got to do with living on your own?

How else would you expect the employer to officially communicate the termination?

 

:???:

[BankFodder]

No I don't think that there are any laws against that at all.

[Snowingagain]

A few years ago I heard an employee who was sacked via letter was told by her union that it was illegal. I'm guessing that if you live on your own there's no support for you when it's out of the blue. It's only something that has been said to me.

[flowerchild]

A few years ago I heard an employee who was sacked via letter was told by her union that it was illegal. I'm guessing that if you live on your own there's no support for you when it's out of the blue. It's only something that has been said to me.

 

In 2003 I was sacked for alleged Gross Misconduct, I was living on my own, sought legal advice, got a grad solicitor to represent me, met with him and others around 8 times, filled out ET forms, wrote endless letters, got settlement through ACAS, etc....

 

At no point was that fact ever mentioned!

 

Once more, how would an employer terminate an employee living on his/her own if it was illegal to send a letter?

[Snowingagain]

I don't know!! Look I'm just trying to help a friend out and we are looking at all angles. Someone told her this and I've done my own research but couldn't find anything. I just wanted to know if I was missing something. There's lots of legal stuff I know nothing about so thought I would check.

[dreadpiratesteve]

Let's look at the basics:

 

Does the letter state the reasons why your friend was sacked?

 

If there were any allegations of wrong doing/ misconduct, were there any meetings between your friend and her employer?

 

Your living arrangements has no bearing on your employment rights, otherwise we'd all be living on our own and not performing our duties at work!

[Snowingagain]

Thank you - we are sorted with everything else. It was a union rep who said this years ago so even though it might sound ridiculous I needed to know for sure because I couldn't find anything.

[flowerchild]

Check out the ACAS website: http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1461

 

This is the place where I got my claim sorted (a free legal advice place): http://www.toynbeehall.org.uk/

 

Official info on unfair dismissal: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/RedundancyAndLeavingYourJob/DG_10026692

[flowerchild]

Check out the ACAS website: http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1461

 

This is the place where I got my claim sorted (a free legal advice place): http://www.toynbeehall.org.uk/

 

Official info on unfair dismissal: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/RedundancyAndLeavingYourJob/DG_10026692

[Snowingagain]

Thank you I will.

[becky2585]

Hi there

 

To answer the actual question in the OP - no, it is not illegal to fire someone living on their own. Nor is it illegal to dismiss someone via letter; in fact, confirmation of a dismissal in writing should always be provided (or sought by the employee if it was not).

 

It could, however, be unlawful to dismiss in this manner if the employee has over 12 months' service and a fair procedure was not followed (i.e. the written notice of dismissal should not have been the first they heard about it!). Happy to advise further if you want to post more details.

 

As for a volunteer, they are technically not an "employee" and therefore employment laws usually do not apply.

[Snowingagain]

Ah a kinder voice lol - thank you for this Becky I appreciate it.