Dismissal (employment)

Dismissal (colloquially called firing or sacking) is the termination of employment by an employer against the will of the employee. Though such a decision can be made by an employer for a variety of reasons, ranging from an economic downturn to performance-related problems on the part of the employee, being fired carries stigma in some cultures.

To be dismissed, as opposed to quitting voluntarily (or being laid off), can be perceived as being the employee's fault. Finding new employment can be difficult after being fired, particularly if there is a history of being terminated from a previous job, if the reason for firing is for some serious infraction, or the employee did not keep the job very long. Job seekers will often not mention jobs that they were fired from on their resumes; accordingly, unexplained gaps in employment can be regarded as a red flag.