Industrial Relations Court of Zambia - 2016 March

14 judgments
Skip past years
Skip past months
Skip to results

Results. 14 judgments found.

14 judgments
March 2016
Domestic worker entitled to statutory separation pay for employer‑initiated termination; other allowance and salary claims failed for lack of proof.
  • Employment law — Domestic workers — Termination and separation benefits under SI No.3 of 2011 s.11; proof required for allowances and unpaid salaries; effect of signed Labour Office payment receipt; substantial justice under Industrial and Labour Relations Act.
31 March 2016
Management’s disciplinary discretion and factual basis for dismissal meant the complainant’s termination was not wrongful or unfair.
  • Employment law — disciplinary procedure — dishonest conduct — summary dismissal — management discretion in constituting disciplinary committee — standard of review: whether employer acted reasonably and had factual substratum for dismissal.
31 March 2016
Decision upholds dismissal (deemed retirement) for insubordination and threatening violence; applicant's claims dismissed.
  • Employment law — disciplinary procedure — insubordination and threatening violence — burden of proof — wrongful dismissal (procedural fairness) — deeming retirement as alternative to summary dismissal.
31 March 2016
Managerial employee wrongfully dismissed via notice clause without reasons or disciplinary process; awarded repatriation and two months' salary damages with interest.
  • Employment law — wrongful and unfair dismissal — use of notice clause as subterfuge for dismissal — necessity of disciplinary procedure and right to be heard; Act No. 15 of 2015 — requirement to give reasons for termination; redundancy — burden to prove redundancy; repatriation — section 13 Employment Act; managerial employees excluded from certain Statutory Instruments.
18 March 2016
Applicant’s unfair dismissal claim dismissed: respondent proved misconduct (persistent lateness/early departures) and followed fair procedure.
  • Employment law — unfair dismissal — persistent lateness and early departures — disciplinary procedure — warning letters and electronic activity report as evidence — burden of proof on claimant.
17 March 2016
Lawful disciplinary process and complainant’s acceptance of conditional retirement upheld; complaint dismissed.
  • Labour law — unfair dismissal — disciplinary procedure — employer must act reasonably; evidence and admissions can sustain disciplinary measures; conditional/early retirement lawful where contractually agreed and accepted; withdrawal of increments as disciplinary sanction upheld where applied pursuant to disciplinary code.
17 March 2016
A Division III officer's summary dismissal under incorrect disciplinary rules without a hearing was wrongful; damages and pension awarded.
  • Employment law — wrongful/summary dismissal — natural justice and right to hearing — Local Government Service Regulations (Division III vs Division IV) — improper application of disciplinary rules — appeal procedure and locational/temporal limits — reinstatement vs damages.
17 March 2016
Dismissal without a written charge or fair disciplinary hearing was null and void; six months' salary awarded as damages.
  • Employment law — unfair and wrongful dismissal — failure to charge and afford prior notification and fair disciplinary hearing — confidentiality allegations — damages as alternative to reinstatement.
15 March 2016
Court pierced a notice‑in‑lieu termination used in bad faith, deeming the complainant redundant and awarding redundancy pay.
  • Employment law — Termination by payment in lieu of notice — Piercing notice clause invoked in bad faith — Restructuring and redundancy — Right to be heard in performance appraisals — Entitlement to redundancy pay — Burden of proof in discrimination claims.
15 March 2016
Employer’s dismissal upheld where GeoTab proved over‑speeding and damage and disciplinary process was fair.
  • Employment law — dismissal — disciplinary procedure — natural justice; evidential weight of vehicle telemetry (GeoTab) in proving over‑speeding; liability for damage to employer’s property; burden on employee to prove unfair dismissal.
14 March 2016
The applicant failed to prove wrongful dismissal after accepting an undeclared donation creating a conflict of interest.
  • Employment law — unfair/wrongful dismissal — disciplinary hearing — bribery and conflict of interest — company Code of Business Conduct — undeclared donation — early retirement application during investigation — burden of proof.
14 March 2016
Summary dismissal found unfair due to inadequate factual proof and procedural irregularities; damages of 24 months’ salary awarded.
  • Employment law — unfair dismissal; refusal to obey instructions — need for substratum of facts to support summary dismissal — natural justice and fair hearing — procedural irregularities, failure to call or confront witnesses — appeals tainted by consultation with accuser — reinstatement versus damages.
10 March 2016
Complainant failed to prove underpayment of medical retirement benefits; complaint dismissed despite respondent's non‑appearance.
  • :[
4 March 2016
Dismissal upheld for breach of procurement procedure and confidentiality following declared relationship with a supplier director.
  • Employment law — fair dismissal — conflict of interest and declaration of interest — procurement procedure and supplier-registration requirements — breach of confidentiality — allegations of favouritism in contract awards — burden of proof.
4 March 2016