I was employed by a firm on a temporary contract. My father was taken seriously ill, so I told my boss that I might need some time off if there was an emergency. I went to the hospital in my lunch break, saying I might be late back, but I was dismissed for being just 13 minutes late. Can my employer just dismiss me like that without a final warning?
Generally speaking you can only make a claim for unfair dismissal if you have worked for your employer for more than two years. You do have a statutory right to take time off for dependants in an emergency, and if you are sacked for asserting a statutory right you can claim unfair dismissal compensation. However visiting your father in hospital during your lunch break would probably not be considered a genuine emergency.