Showing posts with label not grounds for dismissal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label not grounds for dismissal. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Spanish Court Says Calling Your Boss a 'Son of a Bitch' Is Fine

THE TELEGRAPH: A Spanish court has ruled that calling your boss a "son of a bitch" is not grounds for sacking.

A judge in Barcelona said the slight was so common in arguments that it should not be considered a big insult.

The case related to an unnamed worker who directed the comment at his boss during a pay dispute in the northeastern city of Gerona in Jan 2008.

The worker, who also called his boss "crazy," was promptly fired. The man lost a first court challenge, but won on appeal with the Superior Court.

The ruling said his dismissal was a disproportionate punishment and the worker was entitled to be reinstated or receive £5,700 compensation.

Judge Sara Maria Pose Vidal said: "Without a doubt, both expressions are insulting.

"[But] the social degradation of language has caused the expressions used by the plaintiff to become commonly used in certain settings, especially in arguments." [Source: The Telegraph] | Wednesday, September 16, 2009