Spanish Court Awards Ex-Employee Over 64,000 Euros After Abusive Dismissal

A former Leroy Merlin employee has won a significant legal victory in Spain, securing over 64,000 euros in damages after a court deemed his dismissal abusive. The Supreme Court confirmed the ruling on June 10, 2026, invalidating a severance agreement that the employee was pressured to sign on the same day he was fired.

The employee, who had worked for the company since 2006 and managed a department since 2019 with a monthly salary of approximately 3,400 euros, was informed of his dismissal for serious misconduct in September 2021. The allegations included a lack of rigor, missed customer response deadlines, and team management issues.

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The formulation of the agreement was confusing and created obscurity for the worker, by stipulating that it had immediate effect.

On the day of his dismissal, both parties signed an agreement where Leroy Merlin acknowledged the abusive nature of the termination and offered 20,000 euros. However, the employee refused to sign the agreement during the conciliation meeting, challenging its validity and pursuing legal action. Initially, a social court ruled in favor of the company, upholding the agreement. The employee appealed, and the High Court of Justice of Catalonia sided with him, stating the agreement lacked legal value due to imprecise terms and a waiver of legal action.

The Supreme Court ultimately agreed, finding the agreement's wording confusing and creating "obscurity for the worker." The court noted that the dismissal letter and the amicable agreement were signed on the same day without evidence that the worker had time to reflect or seek advice on a document that involved forfeiting a significant sum. The court ordered Leroy Merlin to either rehire the employee or pay the awarded compensation of 64,267.03 euros.

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More importantly, the dismissal letter and the amicable agreement were signed on the same day and at the same time, without any evidence that the worker had time to reflect, consult, or seek advice regarding a document that involved waiving nearly 40,000 euros.