my recollection is that the first 6 months of employment is probation period
What's your source for this as a matter of interest? AFAIK a probation period is given at the discretion of the employer who also determines the duration?
as Clubman pointed out it is 12 months now, not 6 months.
According to
The contract can include a probationary period and can allow for this period to be extended. The Unfair Dismissals Acts will not apply to the dismissal of an employee during a period at the beginning of employment when he/she is on probation or undergoing training provided that:
- the contract of employment is in writing
- the duration of probation or training in one year or less and is specified in the contract.
So as I understand it, an employee dismissed after 12 months can claim for unfair dismissal even if the employer says the probation period is more than 12 months. Any employment contract I had, had 6 months probation as that was the relevant figure at the time, nowadays I assume it is 12 months. The employer can use a shorter period but I assume most use 12 months as it is statutory.