A barber who fired a staff member who regularly phoned in sick on Mondays for four years has been ordered to pay her £3,000. Christian Donnelly, 39, fired Celine Thorley, 25, from Acute Barbers after she developed a 'pattern' of not turning up for work after weekends.
A tribunal heard that the Cardiff business owner had warned Ms Thorley "don't let me down on Monday" as she finished her final shift before a weekend house party back in 2021. She then texted him on the Monday saying she could not get out of bed because her stomach was "killing" her.
Wales Online reports that Mr Donnelly replied that he was sacking her after "four years of phoning in sick on Mondays because you’d had a good weekend". At tribunal, an employment judge ordered the 39-year-old to pay Ms Thorley a total of £3,453 after ruling she was genuinely ill with a heavy period.
