France’s highest court has ruled that a man was wrongfully terminated from his job because he has the legal right to refuse to participate in “fun” activities that he viewed as excessive and humiliating.
The individual, identified as Mr. T, was fired by Paris-based consulting firm Cubik Partners in 2015 for “professional incompetence” after he refused to participate in the company’s “fun” values. The firm also said that Mr. T was fired because he was difficult to work with and was a poor listener.
The former employee joined Cubiks Partners in 2011 as a senior consultant and was promoted to a director position in 2014 before being fired in March 2015, according to court documents.
However, the Court of Cassation noted that the company’s fun values included “humiliating” and “intrusive practices,” such as “excessive alcoholism,” “promiscuity,” and “bullying.”
The court also added the company incited Mr. T to participate in “mock sexual acts” and “share his bed with another employee during seminars.”
Earlier this month, the court ruled that Mr. T has a right to “freedom of expression,” which includes having the right to refuse to participate in the company’s “fun” activities that he views humiliating. The court added that Cubik’s Partners had no grounds for dismissal because Mr. T was ultimately exercising a “fundamental freedom.”
The Telegraph reported that the ruling could possibly be a landmark decision. The court made the ruling on November 9, but it was only revealed this week.
According to Business Insider, the recent court ruling partially overturned the Paris Court of Appeal’s 2021 decision to reject Mr. T’s demand of €461,406 (approximately $479,000). The Court of Cassation ordered Cubiks Partners to pay Mr. T €3,000 and would follow up on his demand for damages in the future.
You can follow Ethan Letkeman on Twitter at @EthanLetkeman.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.