A worker with several years of service at a well-known French supermarket chain was suddenly fired following an internal scandal. The case took place in France and reached the court, which ordered the company to pay compensation of more than 20 thousand euros to the former employee.
According to the Spanish digital newspaper, Noticias Trabajo, the worker had held management roles since 2018, when she joined Leclerc. The dismissal was initially justified by the company as a result of alleged “serious misconduct”.
Court rejects accusations of misconduct
The employer cited delays in submitting reports and behavior considered inappropriate by management as reasons for terminating the contract.
However, the court did not find these accusations proven. The dismissal letter was considered vague and without objective basis, not proving any professional reason that justified the dismissal.
It was also evident that the decision coincided with the discovery of a personal relationship between the worker, raising doubts about the company’s true motivations. The court considered that there was an attempt to camouflage a decision based on personal issues with arguments of a professional nature, a practice considered contrary to current labor legislation.
Right to private life determinant
In justifying their sentence, the judges emphasized that all workers have the right to their private life, even in the workplace. It has been declared that dismissal is null and void when it is based on personal reasons and not on objective, verifiable behavior attributable to the employee.
The court also highlighted that, despite the sensitivity of the case, the relationship between two adults, even if one of them was married, “does not in itself constitute a violation of employment duties”.
Company sentenced to compensate
The Leclerc chain was ordered to pay the former team leader compensation in excess of 20 thousand euros, including amounts relating to notice, untaken holidays and compensation for moral damages.
The court considered that the dismissal had significant negative impacts on the worker, both emotionally and professionally, taking into account the years of service provided.
The sentence also obliges the company to formally annul the dismissal, recognizing that it was illegal and based on personal reasons.
The case is analyzed by experts in labor law as an example of protecting workers’ private lives.
According to , the court decision clearly separated personal life from professional performance, considering only verifiable facts, and could serve as a reference in similar processes.
The outcome also warns against companies that try to justify dismissals with personal arguments, remembering that European legislation guarantees respect for workers’ privacy.
And in Portugal?
In Portugal, labor legislation also protects workers’ private lives. The Labor Code establishes that companies cannot make disciplinary decisions or dismissals based on personal issues that do not objectively affect professional performance.
Cases like this reinforce the importance of always distinguishing personal life from professional activity, protecting the rights of employees within the workplace.
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