Another COVID Dismissal
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Employees need to adhere to employer’s policies. In the matter of MacKenzie / A.S.P Rope Access - (2022) 31 CCMA 8.37.16 also reported at [2022] 6 BALR 592 (CCMA), the employee, an operator, was dismissed after attending work while feeling ill, despite being told to go home by his supervisor. It was later discovered that he was infected with the Covid-19 virus. Another employee had later tested positive and the section had to be closed down and sanitised. The applicant claimed that he had not realised how ill he was and he was unable to work from home. The respondent contended that the applicant had breached its Covid-19 policy. The Commissioner noted that the applicant had placed the pressures of his job over the safety of his colleagues. There was a clear rule that employees who were feeling ill should not report for duty, which was reasonable during the pandemic. The applicant had deliberately disregarded the rule, and dismissal was justified. The application was dismissed.?