Nestle ordered to pay ₹27 lakh to employee sacked for vaping in toilet and triggering factory shutdown | Trending
A UK employment tribunal ordered Nestlé to pay £22,000 (₹27 lakh) to a worker unfairly dismissed for allegedly vaping in a toilet.Summary
A technical operator at Nestlé’s coffee facility in Tutbury, Luke Billings, was dismissed for gross misconduct after a fire alarm was triggered by vaping in a disabled toilet, leading to a factory shutdown and lost production on October 11, 2023. While initially denying the act, Billings later admitted to occasional vaping but claimed it only occurred at home on weekends. Nestlé cited breach of health and safety, loss of trust, and production loss as reasons for dismissal. The employment tribunal rejected Billings’ claim of disability discrimination, finding the dismissal wasn’t linked to his depression. However, the tribunal deemed the dismissal unfair, stating it fell outside the range of a reasonable employer’s response, particularly because Billings’ failure to admit responsibility, rather than the act itself, was the primary reason for the severe punishment. The tribunal considered the dismissal disproportionate, given Billings’ otherwise unblemished career. Nestlé was ordered to pay £22,000 in compensation, reduced by 50% due to Billings’ contribution to his dismissal.
(Source：Hindustan Times)
