How the legal process works

The route through an unfair dismissal claim is the same across Malaysia. Knowing the order helps you see what to do now and what comes later.

Step one: lodge a representation

If you believe you were dismissed without a fair reason, you ask to be reinstated in writing to the Director General of Industrial Relations. You have 60 days from your dismissal to do it.¹

This first step is the one with a hard deadline. See how to lodge a Section 20 representation, and check your timing on the deadline calculator.

Step two: conciliation at JPPM

Your representation goes to the Industrial Relations Department, which arranges conciliation. An officer meets both sides to look for a settlement.

Lawyers do not speak for you at this stage, though preparing with one beforehand is common. Many matters settle here.

Step three: the Industrial Court

If there is no settlement, the matter is referred directly to the Industrial Court for a decision.² This is where each side presents its case and the Court decides whether the dismissal had just cause.

Step four: the outcome

The claim asks for your job back. In practice the Court often orders money instead, especially where trust has broken down.

The main awards are reinstatement, or back wages and compensation in place of your job. What fits depends on your facts, and no one can promise a figure in advance.

Knowing the whole path in advance takes some of the fear out of it. Each step has a purpose, and most claims are resolved well before the final one. A short message helps you see where you stand on this route.