An Italian company was ordered to pay 18 salaries to an employee who was fired for falling asleep at work, the court considering the sanction disproportionate.

An incident at a metallurgical company in Italy led to the dismissal of an employee who fell asleep at work, but the Court of Cassation of Italy declared this dismissal illegal. By ordinance no. 8308 of 2023, the court ruled that the company must pay the employee the equivalent of 18 monthly salaries, emphasizing that sanctions must be proportional to the severity of the act.

Judges rejected the idea that simply falling asleep justifies a dismissal, highlighting the importance of the principle of graduality in the application of disciplinary measures. In contrast, another case in Spain involved an employee who was dismissed for consistently arriving 30-40 minutes early to work, the court considering this behavior a serious offense that affects the trust relationship with the employer. These cases illustrate the complexity of labor legislation and the need to adhere to proper disciplinary procedures.