Industrial Relations Division - 2022

21 judgments
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Results. 21 judgments found.

21 judgments
December 2022
Summary dismissal upheld where senior officer admitted misconduct; not discriminatory and VSS claim fails due to ineligibility.
  • Employment law — summary dismissal — disciplinary procedure and natural justice — admission of misconduct — proportionality of sanction for senior/controlling officer — discrimination in dismissal — voluntary separation scheme eligibility.
16 December 2022
Unilateral variation of employment terms without consent constituted redundancy; statutory redundancy and gratuity remedies ordered.
  • Employment law — redundancy — unilateral variation of basic conditions of service without consent constitutes redundancy (s.55(1)(c)) — automatic termination on date of variation — procedural notice under s.55(2) not required where variation effects termination — redundancy payment minimum: two months’ pay per year served (s.55(3)) — entitlement to gratuity (25%) (s.73).
13 December 2022
Termination triggered by the principal contract's end was lawful; redundancy claims dismissed; accrued leave payable.
  • Employment law — termination by operation of contractual clause upon end of principal contract; distinction between wrongful and unfair termination; redundancy entitlement; proof of statutory benefits; assessment of accrued leave.
8 December 2022
Employee unfairly dismissed for private conduct outside employment; awarded 24 months' salary damages and accrued leave assessment.
  • Employment law — dismissal — distinction between wrongful (procedural) and unfair (substantive) dismissal — conduct outside course of employment not proper ground for disciplinary dismissal — reinstatement sparingly granted — damages as alternative remedy — entitlement to accrued leave; failure to prove other statutory benefits.
6 December 2022
November 2022
Registrar granted leave to file complaint out of time under Section 85(3) due to non‑deliberate delay.
  • Industrial Relations Court Act s.85(3) — leave to file complaint out of time — Registrar’s discretion — affidavit evidence — non‑deliberate delay.
14 November 2022
The complainant's summary dismissal for unauthorised removal of company property and attempted bribery was procedurally and substantively fair.
  • Employment law — disciplinary code applicability — procedural fairness under section 52(3) Employment Code Act — unauthorised removal of company property — attempted bribery — summary dismissal — substratum of facts and proportionality of sanction.
1 November 2022
September 2022
Dismissal without formal charge or hearing is wrongful and unfair; six months' salary awarded, terminal benefits claim dismissed.
  • Employment law — wrongful and unfair dismissal; failure to charge and afford hearing; breach of disciplinary procedure and Employment Code Act; damages awarded (six months' salary plus allowances) with interest; terminal benefits dismissed where already paid; assessment by Deputy Registrar.
16 September 2022
Summary dismissal for unauthorised absence/desertion upheld; only unpaid accrued leave awarded with interest; other claims dismissed.
  • Employment law — Summary dismissal for unauthorised absence/desertion — Fairness assessed by reason for dismissal notwithstanding procedural non-compliance — Claimant failed to prove entitlement to subsistence allowances and wages — Accrued leave payable with interest.
13 September 2022
Court found dismissals wrongful and unfair, awarding damages, allowances and unpaid July salaries to the complainants.
  • Employment law — wrongful and unfair dismissal; disciplinary procedure and natural justice; insufficiency of evidence for alleged falsification/conspiracy; remedies — damages, unpaid salaries, extra duty and big-class allowances; gratuity deductions and NAPSA remittances.
12 September 2022
August 2022
Most complainants’ claims were statute‑barred under Section 85(3); only two complaints were timely and allowed to proceed.
  • Industrial Relations Act s85(3) — limitation and jurisdiction; exhaustion of administrative channels; procedural compliance — Order 14A vs Industrial Relations Court Rules; affidavit jurat defect — defect in form curable under s47 Interpretation and General Provisions Act; dismissal for want of jurisdiction; leave to appeal granted.
18 August 2022
An employer lawfully dismissed the applicant for procedural breaches and unauthorised removal of property despite criminal acquittal.
  • Employment law — unfair dismissal; disciplinary procedure and right to be heard; administrative discipline despite criminal acquittal; burden of proof in disciplinary proceedings; proportionality of sanctions.
17 August 2022
Court found dismissal for dishonest conduct procedurally fair and substantively justified; wrongful and unfair dismissal claims dismissed.
  • Employment law — dismissal — wrongful (procedural) v unfair (substantive) dismissal — disciplinary procedure and natural justice — internal disciplinary proceedings concurrent with criminal prosecution — sufficiency of factual substratum to support summary dismissal for dishonest conduct — company gate pass/fuel policy.
2 August 2022
Court found dismissal procedurally regular and substantively justified; claims for wrongful and unfair dismissal dismissed.
  • Employment law — wrongful (procedural) dismissal; unfair (substantive) dismissal — compliance with disciplinary code and natural justice — substratum of facts to support dismissal — concurrent internal disciplinary and criminal proceedings.
2 August 2022
June 2022
Employee dismissed after refusing to attend disciplinary hearings; accrued leave awarded, dismissal and terminal benefits claims dismissed.
  • Employment law — dismissal for misconduct — statutory right to be heard (s.52(3) Employment Code; clause 10(c) collective agreement) — refusal to attend disciplinary hearing — accrued leave entitlement — unjust enrichment and terminal benefits.
30 June 2022
Claims for contractual allowances, bonus variation, redundancy and wrongful termination dismissed; respondent must issue certificate of service.
  • Employment law — contractual terms trump verbal promises; allowances must be contractually or statutorily provided; discretionary bonuses not contractual; employer may transfer employees within Zambia if contract permits; refusal to accept lawful redeployment may amount to resignation/desertion; mandatory issuance of certificate of service under Employment Code Act.
30 June 2022
Discretionary bonuses and intra‑company transfers permitted by contract do not automatically give rise to redundancy or unlawful variation; employer must issue certificate of service.
  • Employment law — allowances and arrears; discretionary bonuses — not contractual entitlements; intra‑company transfers — contractual transfer clause and statutory provisions; redundancy and desertion; duty to issue certificate of service.
30 June 2022
Termination under the contract's notice clause for operational requirements was lawful; wrongful dismissal claim dismissed.
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30 June 2022
March 2022
Summary dismissal without a hearing breached natural justice and s52(3), warranting damages and payment for accrued leave.
  • Employment law — summary dismissal in absentia — duty to accord opportunity to be heard (natural justice; Employment Code s52(3)) — entitlement to accrued leave where employer fails to prove forfeiture policy.
31 March 2022
Summary dismissal upheld for misconduct; accrued leave payable, damages and unspecified terminal benefits claims dismissed.
  • Employment law — summary dismissal for misconduct — procedural fairness and substratum of facts — entitlement to accrued leave despite summary dismissal — failure to prove unspecified terminal benefits.
2 March 2022
February 2022
Summary dismissal for unauthorised removal of company property upheld; accrued leave payable, unspecified service benefits not proven.
  • Employment law — unfair dismissal — summary dismissal for unauthorised removal of company property/theft — disciplinary procedure and opportunity to be heard — substratum of facts required — accrued leave payable despite summary dismissal.
23 February 2022
Failure to apply for leave to file out of time under Section 85(3) renders an Industrial Relations complaint incompetent and statute‑barred.
  • Industrial relations — Limitation and jurisdiction — Section 85(3) ILR Act — Mandatory 90‑day filing period — Leave to file out of time required before commencement — Reasons for delay must exist before expiry — Article 118(2)(e) does not negate jurisdictional procedural requirements.
10 February 2022