Fired for lateness, Russian worker fought back and made his company pay 

Reportedly dismissed for consistently arriving 40 minutes late, a stubborn Russian electrician has won his job back — along with approximately $11,200 (900,000 roubles). His timekeeping proved less defensible than his employment rights.

The worker, identified as Anatoly from St Petersburg, successfully challenged his dismissal, according to Finance Mail, citing Telegram-based tabloid Mash. His employer then tried to overturn the ruling at the cassation stage, without success.

According to the media reports, company management had issued Anatoly a succession of reprimands covering lateness, breaches of workplace conduct and improper document storage before dismissing him for failing to perform his duties.

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The clock was only part of the case

But the appeal judges also considered the four years Anatoly had formerly worked without complaints, although all these years did not make him any more punctual. Judges found the punishment disproportionate and said his earlier record had not been properly taken into account, the report says.

Eventually, the electrician was reinstated and given a reimbursement, which was a successful challenge to his dismissal rather than a new incentive scheme for missing the start of a shift.

What’s more, being (or looking) busy does not necessarily make you terribly efficient.

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