This South African employee was fired for not coming in to work during lockdown – here’s what happened
GroundUp7 February 2021
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A laboratory analyst fired for putting her family’s safety first and refusing to work during the Covid-19 level five lockdown has been reinstated.
The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) noted that she had been afraid of infecting her elderly mother and her asthmatic son.
The company, Parmalat, designated as an essential service, was more concerned about “creating a possible precedent” than about its employee’s circumstances said the commission.
Commissioner Naledi Bisiwe took note that this was at a time when President Cyril Ramaphosa had urged companies to take care of their workers in the exceptional circumstances created by the pandemic.
The company, Parmalat, designated as an essential service, was more concerned about “creating a possible precedent” than about its employee’s circumstances, said the commission.
Commissioner Naledi Bisiwe took note that this was at a time when President Cyril Ramaphosa had urged companies to take care of their workers in the exceptional circumstances created by the pandemic.
The employee, identified as Ms Beck, had been employed with the company from July 2010. She was dismissed at the end of April 2020 after a disciplinary inquiry found her guilty of being absent without leave for 21 days.
She testified that while she respected the company’s call for its employees to work during level five lockdown, she had feared exposing her child and her mother to Covid-19.