COMP NEWS – In France, it’s now legal to be boring at work. At least, that’s what some are claiming after a French court ruled that a man was unlawfully terminated from his job for failing to be “sufficiently fun” at work.
In a court ruling earlier this month, a judge in France’s highest court ruled that Paris-based consultancy Cubik Partners had unlawfully dismissed the man, named in the case as Mr. T, for failing to be sufficiently fun.
According to court documents, Mr. T was hired as a senior consultant by Cubik in 2011 and promoted to director in 2014. However, he was dismissed from that position for “professional incompetence” in 2015.
That so-called incompetence arose when Mr. T refused to comply with Cubik’s “fun” values that the court said involved engaging in excessive drinking and other problematic behaviors. As his refusal to participate was given as a reason for his dismissal, the judge deemed he had been wrongfully fired.
Mr. T was allegedly fired from his role for “incompetence,” but a court ruled that he was wrongfully terminated for failing to integrate the values of the company, which included excessive drinking and partying.
According to court documents, Mr. T was hired as a senior consultant by Cubik in 2011 and promoted to director in 2014. However, he was dismissed from that position for “professional incompetence” in 2015.
That so-called incompetence arose when Mr. T refused to comply with Cubik’s “fun” values that the court said involved engaging in excessive drinking and other problematic behaviors. As his refusal to participate was given as a reason for his dismissal, the judge deemed he had been wrongfully fired.
“Mr. T could not be blamed for his failure to integrate the values of the company, which [saw] the necessary participation in seminars and weekend parties frequently generating excessive alcoholism encouraged by [company] associates who made very large quantities of alcohol available,” the judge said.
She added that the company advocated practices including “promiscuity, bullying, and incitement to various excesses” among its staff at these events.
To read more about Mr. T’s lawsuit and the French court’s ruling, click here.
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