Argentine Municipal Worker Fired for Missing Work to Operate Hair Salon

A municipal employee in Concordia, Entre Ríos province, Argentina, has been dismissed after an administrative investigation confirmed he was frequently absent from his job to work as a hairdresser. The employee, Gustavo Gutiérrez, who worked in the Urban Hygiene Directorate, amassed more than 50 unexcused absences in under two months.

The extensive absences triggered an internal review by the Human Resources Directorate's Control Division. Investigators discovered Gutiérrez was attending clients at a salon located in the city center during his scheduled work hours for the municipality. This finding led to a formal disciplinary process.

Before his role in urban hygiene, Gutiérrez had also served as an advisor to councilwoman Claudia Villalba in the Concordia Deliberative Council. However, this prior experience did not alter the outcome of the disciplinary proceedings. The Executive Department ultimately decided to impose 'cesantía,' the most severe disciplinary sanction available under the municipal regulations, citing non-compliance with obligations and potential harm to taxpayers.

The Municipality of Concordia emphasized that this action is part of an ongoing internal control effort to ensure accountability among public servants. A statement from the municipality declared, "There will be no tolerance for situations that involve a breach of the obligations of municipal agents or harm to the neighbors who sustain the functioning of the State with the payment of their taxes."