This is the situation:

Someone who has been employed in a trainee capacity for 6 months has now been given the sack.

He was not given any warnings or opportunity to rectify anything which he may have been doing wrong. He has been used as a handyman within the company, doing diy, painting etc, which has held him up from progressing in his training. His manager has also been away or unavailable for long periods of time and therefore has not been there to provide the training and guidance that was required by the trainee.

He was summoned into a meeting and told he was being given notice and to leave the building immediately. He was not given the opportunity to bring someone with him or to argue his case, which was against the companies own procedures.

Is this wrongful dismissal? He would like to approach the company and request that his departure be changed to ‘resigned’ rather than ‘fired’ and that a reasonable reference be provided based on the things that he performed well. Seeing as he was not dealt with properly or given an opportunity to rectify the situation, can he expect this?

Any opinion or advice will be appreciated.

Jenni Lawrence