The Essence of a Wrongful Termination Dispute
Wrongful termination means that the employer terminated the employment contract on a ground, or in a manner, not permitted by the Labor Code of Georgia. Building the dispute rests on two articles of the Code: Article 47 establishes the closed list of grounds for termination of an employment contract and defines when termination is impermissible, while Article 48 establishes the procedure of termination — the deadlines for notice, substantiation and challenge, and the consequences of the court's decision.
This page reflects the position of both sides: for the employee, how to build the case and within which deadlines; for the employer, how to make its decision withstand legal scrutiny. The system of sanctions and fines is determined by other provisions and is not discussed here — what follows are only the rules concerning the basis and the conduct of the dispute.
The Closed List of Grounds and the Prohibitions
The grounds for termination of an employment contract are defined by an exhaustive list in the law: among them are economic, technological or organizational changes necessitating a reduction of the workforce; expiry of the term of the contract; completion of the work provided for; the employee's leaving of the position voluntarily on the basis of a written statement; the parties' written agreement; non-conformity of qualification or professional skills; gross breach of a duty; a repeated breach where a disciplinary measure has already been applied within the last 1 year; prolonged incapacity for work — exceeding 40 consecutive calendar days, or a total of 60 calendar days within 6 months; entry into legal force of a court judgment excluding the possibility of performing the work; a court decision recognizing a strike as unlawful; death of a party or commencement of liquidation of the legal person; and other objective circumstances justifying termination.
The same article establishes prohibitions: termination is impermissible on a ground other than those in the list; on a ground of discrimination; during the period determined by law after the employee woman's notification of her pregnancy; during military or alternative service; and during service as a juror — in each case save for the exceptional grounds provided by law. A breach of a duty imposed by the internal labor rules becomes a ground for termination only where those rules are part of the employment contract.
Notice, Compensation and Deadlines
For certain grounds (workforce reduction, non-conformity of qualification, prolonged incapacity, objective circumstances), the employer is obliged to give the employee preliminary written notice no less than 30 calendar days in advance and to pay compensation of no less than 1 month's remuneration; alternatively, to give notice no less than 3 calendar days in advance and to pay compensation of no less than 2 months' remuneration. Where the employee leaves on their own initiative, they must give the employer notice no less than 30 calendar days in advance.
The substantiation mechanism is decisive for the dispute: the employee has the right, within 30 calendar days of receiving the notice of termination, to send the employer a written demand for written substantiation of the ground; the employer is obliged to substantiate the ground of termination in writing within 7 calendar days of the demand. If the employer fails to substantiate within that period, the employee may challenge the decision in court within 30 calendar days, and the burden of proving the factual circumstances of the dispute shifts to the employer. From receipt of the substantiation the deadline for challenge is likewise 30 calendar days; and if the employee did not demand substantiation, the decision may be challenged within 30 calendar days of receipt of the notice.
The Consequences of the Court's Decision
Where the court declares the decision on termination void, by its decision the employer is obliged to reinstate the person at the former workplace, or to provide equivalent work, or to pay compensation in the amount determined by the court. In addition, the employee has the right, beyond reinstatement or compensation, to demand compensation for forced idleness from the date of termination until the enforcement of the court decision that declared the termination void; in determining that compensation the court takes into account the compensation already paid by the employer.
Public Servants: The Special Dismissal and Appeal Regime
A dismissal from public service does not follow the ordinary rules of an employment relationship. Under the Law of Georgia on Public Service, a public servant may be released from service only on a ground provided for by that law, and the decision on release is an individual administrative-legal act (Article 106). The dispute is therefore administrative in character and is challenged under the procedure established by administrative legislation, which sets deadlines and a evidentiary framework different from an ordinary labour dispute.
The law sets out the mandatory grounds as a closed list (Article 107), while other grounds include resignation at the servant's own request, staff reduction caused by reorganisation or merger, and health condition (Article 108). Dismissal on health grounds is possible upon prolonged incapacity confirmed by a medical opinion — absence from service for 4 consecutive months or 6 months within a calendar year (Article 111). Where dismissal relates to reorganisation or health, the servant must be notified in writing 1 month before release; if that deadline is violated, the servant receives, in addition to due compensation, 1 month of position salary (Article 114). A servant dismissed on these grounds is entitled to compensation equal to 1 month of position salary (Article 115). A female servant may not be dismissed during pregnancy or while raising a child under 3 years of age on grounds of reorganisation, merger or evaluation results (Article 116).
As for appeals, a public servant may challenge any decision or action taken on a service matter (Article 118), although challenging the act of release does not suspend its operation, which makes deadline management decisive. A competition candidate who failed a stage may, within 2 working days of receiving the notice, apply to the Administration of the Government of Georgia with a request to verify compliance with the basic formal requirements of the application, and the Administration decides within 2 working days (Article 117). A competition decision is challenged in court under the Administrative Procedure Code.
Frequently Asked Questions
Within what time may a dismissal be challenged?
Within 30 calendar days of receiving the substantiation; without demanding substantiation — within 30 calendar days of receiving the notice of termination.
What happens if the employer does not substantiate within 7 days?
The employee applies to the court within the 30-day period, and the burden of proving the factual circumstances of the dispute shifts to the employer.
Can a pregnant woman be dismissed?
As a rule, no: during the period determined by law after notification of the pregnancy, termination is impermissible, save for exceptional grounds (for instance expiry of term, agreement, death).
What can the court award?
Reinstatement at the former or an equivalent job, or compensation in a determined amount; in addition, compensation for forced idleness from termination until enforcement of the decision.
How does challenging a public servant's dismissal differ from an ordinary labour dispute?
The decision releasing a public servant is an individual administrative-legal act, challenged under administrative legislation, and the challenge does not suspend the act's operation. Compliance with grounds must therefore be checked against the articles of the Law on Public Service (106–118), and when challenging competition results the deadline for applying to the Administration of the Government is 2 working days.
How We Help on Legal.ge
In a wrongful termination dispute everything turns on deadlines and documents: a timely demand, a properly drafted claim and a complete set of evidence. On the Legal.ge platform you can find an experienced labor law lawyer who will help you demand substantiation, calculate the deadlines, prepare the claim and defend your position at the court stage. Choose a specialist and recover your job or obtain proper compensation.