Operational, conduct and personal grounds for dismissal

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Operational dismissal concerns business requirements and the continued need for the role. Conduct-related dismissal concerns a breach of duties. Personal grounds concern matters affecting the ability to perform, such as a properly assessed long-term health situation.

What needs checking

Each route requires its own evidence and proportionality assessment. A warning is often relevant to remediable misconduct but is not a universal requirement for every dismissal. Alternative employment and milder measures should be considered where relevant.

Practical next steps

Avoid mixing inconsistent reasons in correspondence. A restructuring case should be supported by the actual organisation decision and role analysis; a misconduct case needs a documented incident and fair factual assessment.

Prepare for the review

Send the relevant contract or policy, a short chronology, the correspondence and any document showing a deadline. Explain the outcome you need and any steps already taken.

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Updated: 8 November 2026.