Employers are not always happy with relationships at work. Could this lead to dismissal?
The rules
Employers will normally have to tolerate a relationship between two "equal colleagues. It is different only if the love affair leads to problems at work or if the working relationship becomes or is in danger of becoming disrupted.
If there is a relationship between employees who are in a hierarchical relationship to each other, it is more problematic. Transfer would then be a good solution.
Case before the Rotterdam District Court
A love affair between an employee and his client, patient or intern is even more sensitive. However, an educational worker at a GGZ institution who had had two dates with two different interns was not allowed to be fired just like that by the Rotterdam subdistrict court.
There was no dependency relationship between the two, the employee himself had honestly told them this, nor did the codes of conduct within the institution prohibit it. The fact that the institution had nevertheless moved for dismissal resulted in the employee taking EUR 30,000.
This blog was written by Mr. Stijn Blom, employment lawyer at Arbeidsadvocaat.nl B.V. Stijn has extensive experience in employment law and assists entrepreneurs daily with a wide range of employment-related matters. From dismissal cases to drafting watertight contracts and policies – with his practical and personal approach, he helps employers and employees move forward. Want to know more?Visit Stijn's page.
Arbeidsadvocaat.nl is happy to think with you if you have questions about dismissal. Please feel free to contact us.
October 2024
