constructive dismissal

English

Noun

constructive dismissal (countable and uncountable, plural constructive dismissals)

1. (chiefly UK) The act or practice of forcing an employee to resign by creating a hostile work environment.
   • 2007 June 14, “Red hair bullying cases could end up in court”, in The Register:

     Gingerism in the workplace could form the basis of formal grievances or constructive dismissal cases, an employment lawyer has warned.

   • 2008, Arthur Brown, The Practice Manager's Law Handbook, →ISBN:

     After a series of warnings regarding his administrative errors and failings, the employee left and claimed constructive dismissal.

   • 2014, David Mitchell, The Bone Clocks, →ISBN, page 300:

     In fact, if she were an employer and I her employee, I would have strong grounds for suing her for constructive dismissal.

   • 2014, James A.. Holland, Stuart Burnett, Employment Law, →ISBN, page 272:

     It is a common assumption that a constructive dismissal is automatically unfair. This view is wrong. All that a finding of constructive dismissal does is to show that the employee (despite having resigned) was in fact dismissed.

Further reading

• “constructive dismissal”, in Cambridge English Dictionary, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press, 1999–present.
• “constructive dismissal” in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Longman.