constructive dismissal

British

noun

a course of action taken by an employer that is detrimental to an employee and designed to leave the employee with no option but to resign

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

This week an employment tribunal ruled she was entitled to £23,500 compensation from the trust, which said it was disappointed with the constructive dismissal ruling.

From BBC • May 11, 2025

Ms Pritam says bullying is "a high-risk issue" and can lead employees who have been consistently poorly treated to resign and sue for unfair constructive dismissal or harassment.

From BBC • Apr. 20, 2023

Carneiro's lawyers are suing Chelsea for constructive dismissal while Mourinho himself is the subject of an individual legal action.

From BBC • Dec. 17, 2015

I ask if his mother won her claim for constructive dismissal.

From The Guardian • Aug. 16, 2014

She is claiming constructive dismissal against Sugar, describing the £100,000-a-year role she was given as that of an "overpaid lackey".

From The Guardian • Mar. 5, 2013

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023