False Remorse Is Grounds for Termination

During a grievance meeting, UPS decided to reinstate a driver who was fired for getting into a physical altercation with a female customer, persuaded that he was genuinely remorseful. Unbeknownst to management, the driver texted a friend a photo of himself in a competitor’s uniform with the message “F*** UPS.” Upon discovering the text, UPS fired the driver for being dishonest during the grievance meeting. The union grieved but the federal arbitrator upheld termination. UPS was justified in concluding that the driver’s dishonest expression of remorse, coupled with the incriminating text, undermined the trust on which the employment relationship is based [United Parcel Service v Teamsters Local Union No. 213, 2021 CanLII 64789 (CA LA), July 26, 2021].