Tag archives: unfair dismissal

Lack of probity may provide grounds for dismissal for serious misconduct

Global Workplace InsiderFrançois GuillonBy Elodie Grangier and François Guillon on Posted in Europe, France
French employment courts generally subject alleged reasons for employee dismissal to close scrutiny, particularly where dismissals are based on a breach of the duty of loyalty or of probity. Such breaches only constitute valid grounds for dismissal if they are genuine and rely on objective facts and behaviour which are attributable to the employee concerned. … Continue reading

The fairness of a misconduct dismissal

Global Workplace InsiderBy Amanda Sanders on Posted in UK
A recent case has considered whether a school was entitled to summarily dismiss a head teacher for her failure to disclose a personal relationship with a convicted sex offender. In the case of Reilly v Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council Mrs Reilly was dismissed after she failed to disclose her friendship with a convicted sex offender, … Continue reading

Recent developments in French employment law regarding financial institutions: How the French Government wants to enhance Paris’ attractiveness as a global financial place

Global Workplace InsiderBy Elodie Grangier on Posted in Contracts, Europe, France
Apart from certain provisions which may be tailored to the relevant situations negotiated by companies or sectors of business through collective agreements (subject to compliance with a number of basic rules and principles), French employment law does not include any specificities in relation to certain sectors of business. In particular, financial institutions are subject to … Continue reading

Enforcement of the right to paid holiday under the UK Working Time Regulations ruled incompatible with the EU Directive

Global Workplace InsiderBy Claire Darbourne on Posted in Europe, UK
The Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ) has ruled that the method of enforcement of the right to paid holiday in the UK Working Time Regulations (WTR) is incompatible with the EU Working Time Directive. This is because, if an employer refuses to pay a worker for a period of holiday, under the … Continue reading

Significant changes to French employment code to enter into force no later than January 1st, 2018

Global Workplace InsiderBy Elodie Grangier on Posted in Contracts, Europe, France
French President Emmanuel Macron has signed five ordinances making important changes to several aspects of the French employment code. The ordinances, which were immediately published in the French Official Journal on September 23rd, 2017, are aimed in particular at providing employers more flexibility and predictability in labour-management relations. Several provisions of this ambitious reform – … Continue reading

What is the latest on employees’ rights in the event of redundancy in Germany?

Stefanie RadinaBy Stefanie Radina on Posted in Europe, General, Germany
In business, the restructuring of a company (such as by the closure of an individual business unit or a necessary reduction in the number of staff) may result in an employee’s redundancy. However, dismissing an employee by reason of redundancy has strict prerequisites under German law. The main requirements which must be observed under German … Continue reading

The (latest) reform of the French employment code is ongoing

Global Workplace InsiderCamille ChabrolinBy Elodie Grangier and Camille Chabrolin on Posted in Contracts, Europe, France
As part of candidate Emmanuel Macron’s program during the Presidential elections campaign, a substantial reform of the French employment Code was promised. After his election as President, French commentators anticipated new changes would be implemented quickly, given Emmanuel Macron’s indications that he wished to go ahead as soon as possible, without too much debate before … Continue reading

Do employees who are pregnant or on maternity leave enjoy any special protection in the event of redundancy in Germany?

Jannis BreitschwerdtBy Jannis Breitschwerdt on Posted in Europe, Germany
This post was also contributed by Tony Rau, Trainee, Norton Rose Fulbright LLP (Munich). German law provides for extensive protection of pregnant employees and employees on leave in connection with pregnancy. Regarding the latter, German law distinguishes between maternity leave (i.e. 6 weeks before until 8 weeks after childbirth – or 6 weeks before until … Continue reading

Unauthorized Access of Records – Nurse’s Job Saved by Late Apology

Ryan BergerHerb IsherwoodBy Ryan Berger and Herb Isherwood on Posted in Canada
The BC Labour Relations Board recently upheld the reinstatement of a nurse who, on multiple occasions over an extended period, accessed private health authority records for personal reasons and without authority.  The Board upheld the arbitration award that ordered her reinstatement based in part on the nurse’s 11th hour apology.  The decision illustrates the challenge … Continue reading

The necessity of adopting a sensitive consultation process in the event of redundancy

Global Workplace InsiderBy Claire Darbourne on Posted in Europe, UK
This post was contributed by Jahan Meeran, Trainee Solicitor, Norton Rose Fulbright LLP, London A recent decision of the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) illustrates the pitfalls of not adopting a sensitive consultation process in the event of redundancy.. In the case, the claimant had been employed by the property management division of his employer for … Continue reading

Genuine Redundancy and Redeployment – Job Swapping Reasonable in All the Circumstances?

Jenny SmithBy Jenny Smith on Posted in Asia Pacific, Australia
In the recent case of Skinner et al v Asciano Services Pty Ltd T/A Pacific National Bulk [2017] FWCFB 574 the Full Bench found that an employer breached its obligation to explore redeployment options under s.389(2) of the Fair Work Act 2009 after making 7 of its employees redundant without properly considering job swaps and … Continue reading

Failure to Mitigate in Ontario

John MastorasBy John Mastoras on Posted in Canada
Aylsworth v Law Office of Harvey Storm, 2016 ONSC 3938 is an interesting case that further defines the boundaries of what type of job employees can reasonably reject without failing in their duty to mitigate their wrongful dismissal damages. Lynne Aylsworth had worked at  the Law Office of Harvey Storm for 15 years as a … Continue reading

The latest from the Fair Work Commission on drug and alcohol policy breaches

Global Workplace InsiderBy Global Workplace Insider Team on Posted in Asia Pacific, Australia
Last month, the Fair Work Commission upheld a decision to dismiss an employee for breaching its zero tolerance policy on illicit drugs, confirming the importance of having a clear drug and alcohol policy that is effectively communicated and consistently applied. The employer, Coles Group Supply Chain Pty Ltd (Coles), summarily dismissed Shane Clayton who tested … Continue reading

What rights and protections are there for workers on zero hours contracts in Germany?

Jannis BreitschwerdtBy Jannis Breitschwerdt on Posted in Contracts, Europe, Germany
Unlike in the U.K. and other EU member states, zero hours contracts are not (yet) common practice in Germany. To date, other arrangements aimed at achieving “flexible working” such as fixed-term or part-time contracts, secondment of personnel and – more recently – contracts to provide services have been more widespread. However, as German case law … Continue reading

Quebec Labour Tribunal rules on decision to terminate a high paid employee

Andréane GiguèreBy Andréane Giguère on Posted in Québec
The Tribunal administratif du travail recently released Major c. Nova DM Média Canada inc., 2016 QCTAT 4423, which clarified an employer’s burden of proof to demonstrate that an employee was laid off as part of an administrative reorganization rather than dismissed not for good and sufficient cause. In this decision, administrative judge François Caron relied … Continue reading

Wilson v. AECL – Generosity is Not Enough: Federally Regulated Employers Must Have Cause to Dismiss Non-Unionized Employees

Karen JensenBy Karen Jensen on Posted in Canada
At common law, a non-unionized employee can be dismissed without reasons if he or she is given reasonable notice or pay in lieu.  Today, a majority of the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that this common law rule does not apply to federally regulated employers.  The Court ruled that federally regulated employers must always provide … Continue reading

Can internal investigations commissioned from third party investigators be kept confidential?

Aaron AndersonBy Aaron Anderson on Posted in Asia Pacific, Australia
The recent decision of the Fair Work Commission in Kirkman v DP World Melbourne Limited[1]  illustrates the benefits to employers of taking care when commissioning investigations into alleged misconduct in the workplace.  If the commissioning of the report is handled correctly, and confidentiality of the report is maintained at all times, it may be possible … Continue reading

FWC decision highlights potential gap in unfair dismissal protections for labour hire employees

Jason NoakesBy Jason Noakes on Posted in Asia Pacific, Australia
A recent decision of the Fair Work Commission (FWC) means that labour hire employees working on projects may find it more difficult to avail themselves of the unfair dismissal protections in the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (Fair Work Act). In this case, the labour hire employee’s contract of employment made specific reference to the … Continue reading

Fixed costs for fixed-term contracts

John MastorasBy John Mastoras on Posted in Canada, Contracts
What happens when an employer terminates an employee on a fixed-term contract? The Ontario Court of Appeal in Howard v Benson Group Inc. recently weighed in on the issue. The Court held that the employee was entitled to an amount equal to his salary and benefits for the unexpired term of the employment contract rather … Continue reading

Record Award: Ontario Human Rights Tribunal Awards $150,000 in Compensation

John MastorasBy John Mastoras on Posted in Canada, Discrimination and harassment
In an unprecedented decision from last May (and worth discussing again), the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal (the Tribunal) awarded a migrant worker $150,000 in compensation for injury to her dignity, feelings, and self-respect under the Ontario Human Rights Code (the Code) as a result of sexual harassment and reprisal at the hands of her employer’s … Continue reading

Innocent Until Proven Guilty in the workplace? Criminal Charges May Not Justify Termination for Cause

John MastorasBy John Mastoras on Posted in Canada
While courts have often held there may be just cause for termination based on certain off duty conduct, a recent case has gone the other way. Recently, in Merritt v. Tigercat Industries, 2016 ONSC 1214 (CanLII), the Ontario Superior Court of Justice reinforced the notion that an employer cannot rely on the mere existence of … Continue reading
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