Worker Fired for Running Marathon While on Sick Leave Wins €60,000
Listen to the story
An employee has won 60,000 euros in compensation after being dismissed from his job for taking part in a marathon while on sick leave.
The man had been signed off work due to illness, but he still ran in a marathon during this period.
His employer discovered this and decided to terminate his contract, believing his actions showed he was not truly unwell.
However, the worker challenged the decision and took the case to an employment tribunal.
The tribunal ruled in the employee's favour, deciding that the dismissal was an example of unfair dismissal.
As a result, the company was ordered to pay him 60,000 euros in damages.
In France, workers on sick leave normally receive sick pay from the state and sometimes extra payments from their employer.
This case raises questions about what employees are and are not allowed to do while on sick leave.
It suggests that taking part in physical activity during sick leave does not automatically prove that an employee is not genuinely ill.
The exact medical condition of the worker and the date of the marathon were not given in the report.
The case is part of a wider discussion in France about rules on sick leave, including possible new taxes on some sick pay and proposed waiting periods before payments start.
Employers are being reminded that dismissing staff for activities during sick leave can lead to costly legal consequences if the dismissal is judged to be unjustified.
Vocabulary7 words
- compensation
- money given to fix a loss or harm
- terminate
- to officially end something, like a job contract
- employment tribunal
- a court that decides disputes between workers and employers
- damages
- money a court orders to be paid for harm caused
- sick pay
- money given to a worker who cannot work due to illness
- dismissal
- the act of removing someone from their job
- genuinely
- really; truly, not pretending
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Quiz
Answer key
1. He ran a marathon while on sick leave 2. The dismissal was unfair 3. Debates on sick leave rules and payments
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Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
An employee has won 60,000 euros in _____ after being dismissed for taking part in a marathon while on sick leave.
The man had been signed off work due to illness, but he still ran in a _____ during this period.
His employer discovered this and decided to _____ his contract.
The employer believed his actions showed he was not truly _____.
The worker challenged the decision and took the case to an _____.
The tribunal ruled that the dismissal was an example of _____ dismissal.
The company was ordered to pay him 60,000 euros in _____.
In France, workers on sick leave normally receive _____ from the state.
This case raises questions about what employees can do while on _____ leave.
The case connects to wider debate about possible new _____ on sick pay in France.
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