The Employment Tribunal has ruled that a State Electric Company (STELCO) employee, dismissed under the accusation of taking and leaking photos of electric motorcycles imported by the company to social media, does not have to be reinstated to their job.

A STELCO employee was dismissed last year under allegations of taking and leaking photos of battery-powered motorcycles imported by the company. Specifically, because those photos were circulated by social media accounts after being taken by the employee, the company terminated the individual, stating that the action could damage the company's image.

Following the submission of the case to the Employment Tribunal on behalf of the individual, the Tribunal's decision issued last Tuesday stated that video footage showed the person pointing a phone toward the motorcycles and taking photos, and a look at the photos that circulated on social media revealed they were taken from the exact angle where the individual stood pointing the phone.

The ruling noted that because the employee failed to provide a reasonable justification for taking photos of goods imported by STELCO for commercial purposes, it raised questions regarding intent.

Furthermore, because it constitutes misconduct capable of breaching trust in the employee, the termination is considered as having been carried out with sufficient cause.

However, the ruling pointed out that procedural fairness was not established because the employee was not given an opportunity to respond to the matter prior to termination.

Consequently, the decision stated that an order to reinstate the employee to the job cannot be issued. However, due to the failure to establish procedural fairness, STELCO must pay MVR 17,110, equivalent to one month's salary, as fair compensation. The decision also ordered the payment to be made to the individual within 15 days.