OK to Fire Probationary Employee for Lack of “Suitability”

In Aug., a court reminded us that termination is simpler when employment is probationary when it upheld the dismissal of a medical evacuation pilot terminated during her 6-month probation period. The company didn’t take issue with her skills; it fired the pilot because she didn’t fit in. This might not have been enough to justify firing a regular employee for just cause, the court acknowledged. But because the employment in this case was probationary, the company could terminate her not being suitable [Langford v. Carson Air Ltd., 2015 BCSC 1458 (CanLII) Aug. 19, 2015].