Man wins over 10,000 euros after being fired for taking too many fruits

A Dutch court has ordered a car rental company to pay over 10,000 euros in damages to a 24-year-old former employee, ruling his dismissal for taking too many fruits from a staff fruit basket was unjustified. The Arnhem-Leeuwarden Court of Appeal found the company's disciplinary action disproportionate, suggesting a warning would have been a more suitable response.

The incident occurred earlier this year when the employee, who worked as a rental agent while studying, was filmed taking several pieces of fruit and a bunch of bananas at the end of his shift. The company, Autoradam in Almere, had introduced the fruit baskets to encourage healthier eating among staff. The employee explained he took the fruit during Ramadan to consume later and noted that the baskets were often nearly empty by the time he worked weekend shifts.

Following the incident, the employee was suspended and subsequently dismissed for "fruit theft," with the company also alleging he stole the paper bag used to carry the fruit. He contested the dismissal, highlighting his financial difficulties, including his partner's pregnancy and his own study expenses, and the fact that he was denied unemployment benefits because the agency deemed his dismissal self-inflicted. He eventually found new employment in September.

Initially, a lower court sided with the company, deeming the dismissal justified. However, the Court of Appeal disagreed, characterizing the employee's actions as "inappropriate" and "lacking collegiality" but not severe enough to warrant termination. The court emphasized that the company's invoked zero-tolerance policy for theft was not applicable in this situation, as the items were intended for employees' consumption.