Recently, Justine, a woman in the insurance industry, was fired on her first day at her new job. After lunch, she showed her co-worker her cracked teeth, which was the cause of her termination. She had just started the job and was quickly dismissed without any explanation or warning. [i]
This incident left her feeling confused, embarrassed, and upset. The reason why the woman was fired is uncertain. It is possible that the employer perceived her broken teeth as a sign of bad health or poor hygiene. Regardless, it was an unfortunate situation and a harsh reminder that first impressions can have a lasting impact. [i]
The worker explained that a colleague offered her a drink during her first day on the job. She was feeling very nervous and accepted the kind gesture. After removing her mask, the co-worker noticed her broken teeth and asked what had happened. [ii]
The worker went into more detail, explaining that she had a hereditary disease that had caused irreversible damage to her teeth. She felt embarrassed talking about it. Her co-worker comforted and understood her. They assured her that she should not be ashamed. [ii]
The worker further explained that she had planned to undergo an operation to help with the problem, but due to circumstances beyond her control. She was disappointed, but the procedure had been postponed, and she was thankful for her co-worker's support and understanding. [ii]
Justine had recently returned from her lunch break when she was abruptly "called aside" by her employer and told to "find another job." She was taken entirely off guard by the unexpected dismissal and left confused and frustrated. In response, she decided to take her employer to court at Aalst Labour Court in Belgium. [ii]
Her employer argued that she should have disclosed her dental ailment before accepting the job, which was why she was dismissed. However, Justine maintained that she had no idea she would be rejected for such a trivial issue and that she had been wrongfully terminated. [iii]
Justine argued that she was confident her dental problems would be solved after getting dentures. According to Belgian law, employers are not allowed to fire people due to their physical appearance or disability. [iii]
The court ultimately found that the insurance broker did not provide sufficient evidence to support their claim that Justine should be dismissed from her position due to her dental condition. Therefore, the court concluded that Justine was wrongfully dismissed from her job and ordered her former employer to pay her compensation. [iii]
Justine was awarded six months' gross salary as compensation for martial and moral damage resulting from her termination. The court heard that it is unacceptable to discriminate against someone due to their physical appearance, even if it leads to adverse reactions from customers or colleagues. [iii]
References
[i] Berry Fox, A woman in Belgium, was fired on her first day of work because her teeth (February 23, 2023)
[ii] West Observer, A woman was fired from her job because of her appearance: "They saw the flaw and ordered to get out" (Mar. 6, 2023)
[iii] Max Parry, Woman sacked on first day of work for showing her 'broken teeth' wins court battle (Feb. 23, 2023)
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