He tried to ‘wiggle’ out of work for a kids’ concert
A Toyota employee in Australia was sacked after he took a ‘fake sick leave’ to attend a children’s concert with his son.
Sean Mamo’s filing of an unfair dismissal claim was rejected by the country’s Fair Work Commission, who found the sacking ‘justifiable’.
Mamo applied for the personal leave saying he had to care for his son. However, a photo of the two of them at a Wiggles concert on social media were soon found out. He initially denied the wrongdoing but admitted it after management mentioned they had seen the photo.
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The Australian reported that Mamo did not apply for annual leave instead because he feared it would be rejected. After getting caught, he was allegedly unapologetic.
His boss, dealership owner Robin Brewer, however, told Mamo the company had lost their trust in him.
They then sacked him considering his past poor work performance. Mamo rejected claims about his poor performance.
Mamo filed a claim for the unfair dismissal saying what he did was ‘not serious enough’ for an immediate firing.
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Alan Colman, deputy president at the Commission rejected the claim and said Mamo’s “deception” was reason enough for the sack. And that they need not even consider his alleged poor performance.
“Mr Mamo’s conduct is a clear case of misconduct giving rise to a valid reason for dismissal,” Colman said. “He misled his employer in order to take a paid day off.
“He did not do what he ought to have done — ask to take a day of annual leave — because he did not think it would be granted.
“Mr Mamo decided he was going to take the day off regardless by providing a false reason for his absence, one which would ensure he was paid for that day.
“He deliberately misled the company about his reason for not coming to work and thereby claimed a payment to which he was not entitled.”