Frequently asked questions
These answers are general information, not legal advice. Last updated: [date]
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The duty to hold a hearing comes from Labor Court case law, and it applies to almost every employer. A dismissal without a hearing, or with one held only for show, can count as unlawful dismissal and entitle the employee to compensation, on top of whatever else is owed. Keep the dismissal letter and all correspondence, and don't sign a waiver before it's reviewed.
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Every cause of action has its own limitation period, and some employment rights carry especially short ones. The clock usually starts on your last day of work or when the right arose, so don't wait. The safe approach is to check the exact deadlines as early as possible and act before they pass.
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No, but it's your right: an employee may bring a companion to the hearing, including a lawyer, and it's worth notifying the employer beforehand. A lawyer helps you prepare for the claims against you, put together an organized response, and make sure the hearing is documented. Even if you decide to go alone, get advice before the meeting and ask for the claims in writing.
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The Wage Protection Law sets a deadline for paying wages, and pay that comes after it counts as delayed. In these cases the Labor Court may award delayed-wage compensation, and the amount depends on the circumstances and the court's discretion. Keep a record of the actual payment dates against your payslips, and contact the employer in writing. Repeated delays also matter if you're weighing whether to resign.
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Often, yes. The law requires the employer to keep a record of working hours, and when there is none, the burden of proving the hours may shift to them. Your own records help too: messages, emails, a diary, system log-ins, and colleagues' testimony. Gather everything you have, even if it's partial.
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Severance pay is a statutory right for an employee dismissed after a minimum period of employment, calculated from salary and seniority. Compensation for unlawful dismissal is a separate remedy the Labor Court awards when the dismissal itself was flawed, for example without a hearing or for improper reasons. You can be entitled to both together, and one doesn't come at the expense of the other.
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There's no single answer. It depends on how complex the case is, the number of witnesses, the court's caseload, and how willing the parties are to reach agreement. Some cases settle in the early stages, others go all the way to a hearing of evidence and a judgment. In our first conversation I can give a realistic estimate based on your case.
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The first hearing is usually a preliminary hearing: the court clarifies what's in dispute, checks which documents are missing, sets a timetable for the rest of the case, and sometimes explores settlement or mediation. Evidence isn't usually heard at this stage, but it helps to come prepared, with your documents and a timeline of events. Your lawyer represents you, and you're mainly there to be present and know your case.
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Yes, at any stage. Many Labor Court cases end by agreement, and the court itself encourages this and offers mediation. A settlement approved by the court has the force of a judgment. The decision whether to settle, and on what terms, is always yours, once you have a clear picture of the risks and the prospects.
Didn't find your question? Every case has its own details, and a short conversation answers most of them.
The first conversation sets the direction.
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