The negative implications of criminally unlawful acts on the proper execution of work performance, in compliance with the employee’s obligations, constitute just cause for dismissal.
The Supreme Court, in ruling no. 31866 of December 11, 2024, established that unlawful conduct outside the workplace may have disciplinary relevance, as the employee is not only required to perform the assigned tasks but also, as an ancillary obligation, to refrain from engaging in behaviors outside the workplace that could harm the employer’s moral and material interests or compromise the relationship of trust. If such conduct is of a particularly serious nature, it may also justify dismissal for just cause.
Just Cause and Off-Duty Conduct: A Case Law Overview
As is well known, Article 2119 of the Civil Code defines just cause for termination as “a cause that does not allow the continuation, even temporarily, of the employment relationship.” This means an event, attributable to one of the parties, of such severity that any alternative to immediate termination would be inadequate to protect the interests of the terminating party.
The concept of just cause is rooted in the broad scope of its definition and is classified among the so-called “general clauses” (Supreme Court ruling no. 10964 of May 8, 2018). It is an open-ended concept that requires interpretation through the assessment of factual elements (including the evolution of social awareness and the perception of the severity of certain events) and legal considerations.
As stated by the Supreme Court, “just cause for dismissal is a concept that the law, in order to adapt regulations to a complex and ever-changing reality, defines through a provision (classified among the so-called general clauses) with limited content, outlining a generic model that requires specification through interpretation by considering both external factors related to general awareness and the principles implicitly referenced by the provision itself” (Supreme Court, September 30, 2022, No. 28515).
Moreover, it has been recently reaffirmed that the consideration of external factors related to general awareness is an integral part of the interpretative process (Supreme Court, August 22, 2024, No. 23029).
Off-Duty Conduct as Just Cause for Dismissal
In outlining the types of employee behavior that may constitute just cause for dismissal, case law has established that the breach of trust may result either from a violation of contractual obligations or from off-duty conduct.
An employee is required not only to fulfill contractual obligations but also to adhere to ancillary behavioral duties, which, even outside the workplace, mandate the protection of the employer’s moral and financial interests. Violating these obligations undermines the trust necessary for the proper continuation of the employment relationship.
For example, in several cases, the courts have deemed violations of the so-called “minimum ethical standard” as just cause for dismissal. This refers to conduct that any reasonable person—including the employee—should recognize as contrary to the fundamental principles of civil coexistence, fairness, and good faith.
Case Law Examples
One significant case involved the dismissal for just cause of a school bus driver following a final criminal conviction for engaging in acts unequivocally aimed at causing the termination of his partner’s pregnancy. The Supreme Court of Cassation upheld the legitimacy of the dismissal, citing the objective severity of the offense and its social disvalue, which directly impacted the employer’s public image (Supreme Court, April 3, 2024, No. 8728).
Similarly, the off-duty possession of a significant quantity of narcotics for trafficking purposes was considered to seriously affect the employment relationship, particularly in terms of the employee’s future reliability. The Supreme Court ruled that an employee is required not only to perform their assigned tasks but also to refrain from behaviors—outside the workplace—that could compromise the trust-based relationship with the employer, which is subject to the assessment of the trial judge (Supreme Court, August 6, 2015, No. 16524).
In that case, the Supreme Court upheld the lower court’s decision, which had deemed the employee’s conduct particularly severe in terms of future reliability. The employee, a “chef de rang” at a thermal resort, was responsible for room service, a role involving frequent contact with guests. The court found the conduct even more serious given that the drugs were purchased from a colleague.
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