CRUMBS: Woman sacked for stealing pasty to get job back or €19,000 compensation

AN EMPLOYEE who was fired for stealing and eating a pasty at work in Spain has been told by a court she should have her job back or be compensated.

The company she worked for recorded the empanada-scoffing incident on a surveillance camera which was submitted to the court as evidence.

But a judge in Cordoba said the evidence is inadmissible after the European Court of Human Rights condemned Spain for taking such evidence without the consent of the workers.

The woman had worked at the same shopping centre for 12 years and, on November 22 last year, she received a letter of dismissal for “an absolutely fraudulent and disloyal performance”.

Now the judge has ordered the company to re-employ the woman or, alternatively, pay her €19,000 compensation.