Probation period
What it really means
A trial period at the start of a new job, often three to six months, when either side can end things with shorter notice. Some benefits may not start until you pass. Passing probation is usually confirmed in writing.
Context, tips & common mistakes
Probation is contractual, not a separate legal status: statutory rights — minimum wage, holiday accrual, sick pay eligibility, rest breaks — apply from day one regardless of what a handbook implies. What genuinely changes during probation is usually notice (often a week each way instead of a month) and access to contractual extras like enhanced sick pay or benefits that start on passing. Failing probation still requires the employer to give whatever notice the contract states, and extending probation is only possible if the contract allows it — an extension sprung on you with no contractual basis is challengeable.
Treat the period actively: ask for interim feedback rather than waiting for the final review, and get the passing confirmed in writing because benefits and notice often hinge on the date. If dismissal during probation seems connected to pregnancy, discrimination or asserting a legal right, take advice — those protections apply from day one too.