Spanish firm wrong to fire electrician for drinking alcohol during working day, court rules

High court found electrical company had not proved man was drunk after he was seen drinking beer, wine and brandy at lunch

A Spanish court has ruled that a company was wrong to fire an electrician who may have drunk more than three litres of beer in one day because it had not proved that his consumption had left him “inebriated, intoxicated or drunk”, or unable to do his job.

The high court in the south-eastern region of Murcia found the electrical company had provided insufficient grounds for the man’s dismissal and ordered it to reinstate the sacked worker, or pay him €47,000 (£42,000) in compensation. It also noted that the company had failed to take into account the effect the hot Murcian summer could have had on the man’s drinking.