Legal experts question ‘for cause’ terminations tied to office badge use
Bell Canada parent BCE Inc. has fired what it describes as “a small number” of employees for allegedly violating its code of conduct by intentionally and repeatedly falsifying workplace attendance.
The company says the workers were entering offices, swiping in with their key cards to register their presence and then immediately leaving the premises, conduct it characterizes as “swipe and go” behaviour, according to a Globe and Mail report.
The alleged violations occurred in offices across the country and included one case in which an employee swiped their card just before midnight and again shortly after the hour to suggest they had been in the office two days in a row.
The company says another instance involved an employee entering the premises, using the fitness facilities and then leaving, according to the Globe.
“In each case, there was a thorough investigation and individuals were presented with clear evidence of their misconduct,” said Bell spokesperson Luc Levasseur.
“The majority of individuals admitted to deliberate and repeated falsification of workplace attendance,” he told the Globe and Mail, and no unionized employees were affected.
The company is treating the dismissals as “for cause,” according to Bell. Levasseur also said there is no broader work force reduction program under way, and Bell maintains a three‑day in‑office policy for most of its corporate employees.
QUEENSLAND— A nurse in Australia has been formally reprimanded after admitting he submitted forged documents to Qantas (QF) in an attempt to secure a refund for a non-refundable airline ticket. Th...