A “constructive dismissal” occurs where an employee resigns in response to his or her employer's breach of contract. This is deemed to be a dismissal, even though the employee has resigned and not been directly dismissed by the employer.
For example, where an employee is forced to resign because the employer has unilaterally reduced pay or in response to bullying, the employee might claim to have been constructively dismissed. An employee who considers that he or she has been constructively dismissed could bring a claim for unfair dismissal in the employment tribunal against the employer.