Inconsistency Dooms Case to Terminate Employee for Time Theft

After suspending him for taking extended breaks without permission, an aircraft parts manufacturer fired a trainer with 19+ years of service for time theft. But the Québec arbitrator found the penalty unreasonable. Even though the employee was warned, the warnings were too far apart, including a 4-month gap between the penultimate and final warning. The other problem was that 3-weeks’ suspension was the penalty that the company had consistently imposed on employees who committed the same offence. So, that’s what the arbitrator said the employee in this case should get [Sonaca Montreal Workers Union c Sonaca Montreal inc., 2021 CanLII 18481 (QC SAT), March 10, 2021].