A 22-year-old Spanish woman was fired for consistently arriving 40 minutes before her scheduled work time, despite repeated warnings from her boss to stop. Over the course of two years, she was cautioned multiple times for arriving between 6:45 am and 7:00 am, well ahead of her 7:30 am start time.
Although she was told she couldn’t check in or begin work before her scheduled start, she continued to arrive early. Eventually, her boss dismissed her for serious misconduct, arguing that her habit of arriving early was an act of defiance rather than a sign of dedication.
The woman appealed her dismissal to the Social Court of Alicante, claiming it was unjust. However, the court ruled in favor of the employer, noting that she had ignored verbal and written warnings and arrived early on at least 19 occasions. On some days, she even tried to log into the company app before reaching the office.
Additionally, her employer cited a separate breach of trust involving the unauthorized sale of a used company car battery, which the court considered part of a pattern of disloyalty. The court emphasized that the issue was not her punctuality, but her refusal to follow company rules, which was a serious violation under Spain’s Workers’ Statute.
While the woman has the right to appeal the decision to the High Court of Justice of the Valencian Community, the ruling currently stands.
