WILLEMSTAD – The Court of First Instance has ruled that a bakery employee's refusal to slice cheese during a busy work shift did not justify immediate dismissal, ordering Panaderia Marjorie to pay approximately eight months of back wages.
The dispute arose in July 2025 when the employee refused to slice cheese, arguing that the store was understaffed and too busy at the time. The bakery responded by dismissing her on the spot.
The judge found that the measure was disproportionate, particularly because the employee had worked for the bakery for more than six years. According to the ruling, a formal warning would have been a more appropriate response than summary dismissal.
As a result, the court declared the dismissal invalid, meaning the employment relationship legally continued after the termination. Consequently, Panaderia Marjorie must pay the employee the salary she would have earned during the roughly eight months following her dismissal.
However, despite finding the dismissal unlawful, the court also ruled that the employment relationship had irreparably broken down. The judge therefore dissolved the employment contract with immediate effect.
The employee was not awarded any additional severance compensation beyond the payment of her outstanding wages.
The ruling highlights that employers must have compelling and proportionate reasons before resorting to summary dismissal, particularly in cases involving long-serving employees.