Can I be sacked by email

[interele]

Can an employer just send an email to sack you or does it have to be in person or in writing

Ta

[EDDIE51]

An email is in writing.

[dotty.]

how long have you worked for the employer?

[Maydup]

They can't sack you by email, in writing or in person really,unless you're still on trial. In truth they should either follow a discipinary procedure or make you redundant. But no doubt its not as straightforward as this. What are the circumstances? How long have you worked there and what has happened to make them sack you?

[zebo]

Didn't one of those dodgy claims company sack everyone via text messges a few years ago?

[EDDIE51]

You need to be more specific , what do you mean by 'sack you' have you been dismissed , made redundant , contract cancelled or something other. If you have been dismissed there has to be reason for it.
We need a lot more information . The reason for your dismissal , how long you have worked at the place, and any other' background ' or 'history'

[EDDIE51]

Maidup. people have been sacked by email and by text message.

[Maydup]

I know, Eddie, but they'd be wrong. I think you and I agree that we need more info around the circumstances here.

[dotty.]

i agree too, there has to be a back story

[tonywiltshire]

Some very good questions posed by others which you may wish to consider. If your question is as stated and only concerned with your dismissal by email rather than by letter or verbally, then email is considered a permanent form and is quite adequate.
If your dismissal is unfair or wrongful is another matter.

[interele]

Fortunately it isn't me . The 'back story' ....
Yes, They were in their trial period
The person was being bullied at work to a point when they just broke down in the office
The doctor sign them off that day for a month and the sick note was handed to the company the next day. That night at five past midnight they got an email sacking them for excessive time off. There was no other communication. In actual fact the dismissal was from the day of the incident not the day of the email which actually works out to be two working days later. I wouldn't have thought you could sack someone 'retrospectively' What if the person hadn't checked their emails
They were pretty much destroyed as it was. Whilst I know you have very little rights in your trial period to an old cynical fart like me it looks as if they are trying to sweep this under the carpet.

[Maydup]

Sounds awful but they are best off out of it. This match was never going to work and that's what a trial is for. Not happy ending I know but a realistic one.

[beso]

Court orders have been served via Facebook so being sacked by email is quite tame.

[EDDIE51]

Agree with Maidup , if she was in a trial period they can sack her without even giving a reason. If she found the job that stressfull then she is best off out of it.

[boxtops]

It sounds really poor personnel practice, but these days a email is an official document (in the past you would have had to send a hard copy letter, but no longer). There was a story a while back about people being sacked by text - awful.

[interele]

Whilst I agree they are best out I didn't think a trial period was there to see how much misery you can inflict on someone with impunity, the previous incumbent left during their trial period because of bullying

[boxtops]

You can sack anyone without any reason at all during the trial period. Sadly it might be best if your friend wrote to the management at the company, explaining why she was ill due to the bullying - if people don't tell the management what's going on, the next person may suffer similarly. What size of company is this? - there should be a bullying and harassment policy in place.

[Zacs-Master]

Call ACAS, they're very friendly. I don't think you....er sorry, your friend...has a leg to stand on but you never know.

[interele]

:-) I'm 6' 4" and 17 st ... and what you might call 'old school'

Unfortunately from the replies ( thank you BTW ) it would seem that you can bully as many people into nervous breakdowns as you like as long as you do it in their trial period and get away with it.

Yes, almost certainly the next person will go through the same hell, it seems to be a sport at this company.

[factor-fiction]

Guides like this are useful for people who feel they are being bullied at work.
http://www.bullyonline.org/action/action.htm
For example you should keep a log and inform HR
As has been said, an employee can be dismissed for almost any reason during the first 12 months with an employer. Exceptions include dismissal based on race and or gender.
Dismissal notifications by text/email are used occasionally but usually just as a way of communicating quickly. I would advise an employer who does this to confirm it asap in writing

[buildersmate]

Factor, Boxtops, Eddie, Tony have all got this right.
One additional point is that the individual should have been paid notice from the date of the dismissal (not the date of absence). Probably one week's notice, but could be more.