Less than two years service dismissal confirmation letter template
Our Less than Two Years Service Dismissal confirmation Letter template helps employers notify employees of their termination before completing two years of service.
It may be that you do not think an individual is the right fit for your company, or there could have been various conduct or capability issues that have raised legitimate concerns.
- 1 page / 155 words
- Instantly download as Word / PDF / plain text
- Suitable for United Kingdom use only
- Includes 12 months’ access, with all updates to this page provided free of charge and notified to you.
Less than two years service dismissal confirmation letter
[Sender name]
[Sender address]
[date]
[Recipient name]
[Recipient address]
Dear [Recipient first name],
Termination of employment
Further to [your meeting with [name] | our meeting] on [date], I [regretfully] confirm that your employment with the Company is terminated with [effect from [date] | immediate effect].
[As stated at our meeting the reason(s) for terminating your employment with us [is | are] as
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A less than 2 years service dismissal confirmation letter is used to terminate an employee who worked less than two years.
It states termination, effective date, reason, final pay, benefits, and company property return.
The letter serves as a record, ensures professionalism, maintains relationships, and protects the company's reputation.
If you have already started to follow a disciplinary or dismissal procedure (as per your written policy), you are advised to continue that process to its conclusion. You should not use this template in those circumstances.
Direction:
Compliance
Compliance
This Less than two years service dismissal confirmation letter template incorporates relevant UK laws and HR standards, including those listed below:
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Employment Rights Act 1996: This act sets out the minimum notice periods that employers must give to employees before terminating their employment contracts. The notice period varies depending on the length of the employee's service.
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Equality Act 2010: This act prohibits discrimination on the basis of certain protected characteristics, such as age, gender, race, and disability. Employers must ensure that their dismissal decisions are not discriminatory.
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Data Protection Act 2018: This act regulates the processing of personal data and imposes obligations on employers to handle employee data appropriately. Employers should ensure that any personal data collected during the dismissal process is handled in accordance with the act.
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Working Time Regulations 1998: These regulations set out the maximum number of hours that employees can work each week, as well as requirements for rest breaks and annual leave. Employers should ensure that they are not breaching these regulations when dismissing an employee.
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National Minimum Wage Act 1998: This act sets out the minimum wage rates that employers must pay to their employees. Employers should ensure that they are not breaching these rates when dismissing an employee.
In the UK, employees have protection from unfair dismissal in certain circumstances. These include:
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Statutory protection: Employees who have worked continuously for their employer for two years or more have statutory protection from unfair dismissal. This means that their employer must have a valid reason for dismissing them, and the dismissal must be fair and reasonable in the circumstances.
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Automatic unfair dismissal: An employee is automatically unfairly dismissed if the reason for their dismissal is related to certain specific reasons, such as whistleblowing, asserting a statutory right, or taking certain types of leave (such as maternity or paternity leave).
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Discrimination: Employees cannot be dismissed because of a protected characteristic, such as their age, gender, race, religion, or disability. Dismissal on these grounds may be considered discriminatory and lead to a claim for unfair dismissal.
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Health and safety: Employees cannot be dismissed for raising health and safety concerns or for refusing to work in unsafe conditions.
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Redundancy: If an employer needs to reduce its workforce, it must follow a fair redundancy process and ensure that the selection criteria for redundancy is fair and non-discriminatory.
Flowchart
Flowchart
Check which resources should be implemeted before and/or after the Less than two years service dismissal confirmation letter template, to understand the workflow.
Managers guide to dismissing an employee with less than two years service
Our Guide to Dismissing Employees with Less Than Two Years' Service helps navigate legal obligations and procedures, minimising risks and ensuring compliance.
Dismissal appeal letter
Our dismissal appeal letter template can help you formally challenge your dismissal.
Timings
Timings
Follow these best practice actions to get the most from the Less than two years service dismissal confirmation letter template, guiding you before, during, and after implementation:
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| Step | Description | Responsibility | Timing (Days from decision) |
| 1 | Performance Evaluation: Evaluate the employee's performance and conduct to identify valid reasons for dismissal. | HR / Management Team | N/A |
| 2 | Review Company Policies: Familiarise with dismissal policies and legal requirements for employees with less than 2 years of service. | HR / Management Team | Day 1 |
| 3 | Document Performance Issues: Maintain comprehensive documentation of performance issues, warnings, and incidents. | HR / Management Team | Day 2 |
| 4 | Decision Meeting: Schedule a private meeting with the employee to discuss dismissal reasons and provide an opportunity to respond. | HR / Management Team | Day 3 |
| 5 | Issue Dismissal Letter: After confirming the dismissal decision, prepare and issue the Less than 2 Years Service Dismissal Letter, ensuring the notice ends before the employee's two-year service anniversary. | HR / Management Team | Day 3 (Or as deemed appropriate) |
Practical example
Practical example
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Scenario
ABC Limited, a UK-based company, finds itself in a situation where an employee with less than two years of service is being considered for dismissal due to performance or conduct issues. HR Manager Sarah must evaluate the situation to determine if the employee poses a risk for potential claims of unfair dismissal. If no such risk exists, Sarah will proceed with issuing a dismissal letter.
Initial Response
Sarah conducts a thorough review of the employee's performance, conduct, and any ongoing disciplinary process. She assesses whether there are grounds for potential claims of unfair dismissal based on the circumstances surrounding the employee's situation.
Decision Making
Based on the review and risk assessment, Sarah determines whether the employee's dismissal would be lawful and unlikely to result in a successful claim for unfair dismissal. If the risk is high, or there is some uncertainlty, Sarah takes further legal advice before making a decsion. If the risk is minimal and there are no ongoing disciplinary proceedings, Sarah proceeds with the decision to dismiss the employee.
Drafting the Letter
Sarah carefully drafts a dismissal letter, ensuring it does not reference any protected characteristics and focuses solely on the performance or conduct issues that led to the decision. The letter is clear, concise, and free from any language that could be perceived as discriminatory or inflammatory.
Sending the Letter
Once the decision is finalised and the letter is reviewed to ensure compliance with legal requirements, Sarah sends it to the employee via registered post or hand-delivers it in a private meeting. She ensures that the delivery is handled sensitively and respectfully, considering the impact on the employee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
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Can I use this template in my small business?
Yes. The Less than two years service dismissal confirmation letter template is designed to be flexible and suitable for organisations of all sizes, including small businesses and charities. It follows UK employment law best practice, so even if you don't have an in-house HR team, you can confidently apply it.
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Is this template compliant with 2025 UK employment law?
Absolutely. Like the Less than two years service dismissal confirmation letter template, all of our templates are drafted with the latest ACAS guidance and UK employment legislation in mind. We review and update them regularly, so you can be confident they remain compliant.
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Can I customise this template for my organisation?
Yes, in the Less than two years service dismissal confirmation letter template, as with all of our templates, we highlight the areas that you need to update with your own details, and where you need to make decisions to suit your situation. This saves you time and ensures that you meet best practice.
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Do I get instant access to the template?
Yes. Once purchased, you'll be able to download the Less than two years service dismissal confirmation letter template instantly. Templates are provided in editable Word or Excel format so you can customise them easily, and in PDF format for easy sharing.
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What if I need more help, not just this template?
If you're looking for broader support, we also offer toolkits and library bundles that include the Less than two years service dismissal confirmation letter template along with other HR templates and policies for fully managing your situation. These may be more cost-effective if you need a complete HR library.
