Gross Misconduct

Gross misconduct is behavior or action by an employee serious enough to justify summary dismissal, meaning the employer can skip the usual notice period. Summary dismissal is often misunderstood: it does not mean dismissal happens on the spot. Employers still have to follow proper dismissal procedures, even if they caught the employee in the act. Best practice is to suspend the employee first so an investigation can take place.

Gross misconduct typically includes things like theft, fraud, violence, harassment, serious breaches of safety regulations, or any other conduct that seriously damages trust in the workplace.