Drinking at work a misconduct: HC

The Bombay High Court has upheld the dismissal of four employees of Tata Power Company who were found drunk at their workplace on New Year’s Eve in 1999, reports HT Correspondent.

The Bombay High Court has upheld the dismissal of four employees of Tata Power Company who were found drunk at their workplace on New Year’s Eve in 1999.

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The employees, four senior security guards, were caught drunk on December 31, 1999, at firm’s Trombay Thermal Power Station. Inquiry was initiated against them following which they were terminated from service in May 2000.

In April 2008, the labour court directed their reinstatement with 25 per cent back wages. An industrial court confirmed the order of reinstatement but without back wages.

The HC ratified the action against the four workmen as they were senior guards.

The court had observed in the judgment delivered last month, “Consumption of alcohol at workplace was a serious act of misconduct and the management was justified in taking a strict view of the matter.”