A post office employee, with four decades of service, was caught hiding orders in the female resort shower, in a situation that raised doubts about the proportionality of the dismissal. One of the packages, from Amazon, showed signs of being opened, while another was not even registered in the company’s screening system, and the court ended up with the company’s decision.
Long career in question
The worker joined the Post Office in June 1985, with an indefinite contract, and performed the duties of public service, reception, classification and delivery of orders, as well as other tasks of the position. The employee’s monthly gross salary was 2,126.28 euros, according to the Digital Journal Spanish noticias work.
The case raised debate due to the employee’s seniority and the severity of acts, as the concealment of packages in the resort affected the confidence that the company deposited in it.
Very serious absences and impact on the company
The dismissal was based on Article 85 of the III Collective Convention of the State Society of Correos Y Telegraphs, which considers the concealment, subtraction or opening of correspondence, violating the duty of custody. Even without direct economic prejudice, the situation had a reputational and organizational impact.
The employee admitted to hiding the packages, alleging personal difficulties and a period of bad situation. He initially tried extrajudicial conciliation and then filed a lawsuit to contest the dismissal, relying on a medical diagnosis of mental health problems.
First court decision
In December 2024, Valencia’s social number 8 was decided to reject the employee’s action. The Court considered that the acts configured a serious violation of contractual good faith and an abuse of trust, as provided for in Article 54.2 of the Statute of Workers.
Despite recognizing that the employee voluntarily assumed the conduct, stressed that one of the packages was open, which aggravated the situation.
Regarding the diagnosis of mental health presented, the court concluded that there was no proof that it had affected the ability to discern on the day of the facts on February 22, 2023.
Supreme confirms dismissal
The worker appealed to the Valencian Community Superior of Justice (TSJ), but in May 2025 the court upheld the decision of the first instance. The judges considered that hiding orders broke the confidence placed in it and impaired the image of the institution.
Although the employee has a history of mental health problems since 2008, there was no proof that this had influenced her behavior on the day of the facts.
According to the TSJ decision ends the case and reaffirms that the breach of confidence, even after 40 years of service, is a legitimate reason for dismissal.
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