Vodafone makes a drastic decision: confirms it will never allow this again

In April 2023, an employee of a Vodafone store was dismissed. This happened after it was discovered that she had processed a prepaid line for a minor. To do this, she altered the birth date in the system to bypass the computer restrictions that prevent this service from being contracted by young people.

This action was considered a serious offense by the company, which led it to decide to dismiss the worker. The affected employee decided to file a lawsuit for unfair dismissal, but the High Court of Justice of La Rioja has declared Vodafone's decision appropriate.

Vodafone sides with the customer

The employee had been working for Vodafone since 2014. In April 2023, she was responsible for processing the activation of a prepaid phone line for a young person born in 2009.

To circumvent the restrictions that prevent minors from accessing this service, she modified the birth date in the system. She entered the year 1999 instead of 2009. This type of alteration is clearly prohibited by the company and is considered a serious infraction.

The case came to light in September 2023. The minor's parents went to the store to request explanations after learning that their daughter had been registered. The news caused great discomfort among those affected, who considered that the employee's behavior had not been appropriate.

Vodafone, in light of these events, decided that the dismissal of the worker was necessary. The company argued that this action constituted a breach of contractual good faith and an abuse of trust. For the operator, integrity and compliance with regulations are essential, and such behaviors can't be tolerated.

However, the employee disagreed with this decision and filed a lawsuit in court. She claimed that her dismissal violated her right to indemnity. Meanwhile, she had previously raised a series of labor claims related to her working conditions and salary differences.

Vodafone has the backing of the justice system

The High Court of Justice of La Rioja, after studying the case, has ruled in favor of Vodafone. In its ruling, the court considers that the dismissal was appropriate. It understands that the worker acted intentionally by modifying the minor's birth date.

Although the ruling has been favorable to Vodafone, this case has caused a wide debate about the responsibility of employees in situations like this. Some voices criticize the company's stance, while others defend the importance of acting firmly against behaviors that may compromise the company's integrity.

By making this decision, Vodafone has made it clear that it will not tolerate behaviors that jeopardize its reputation or the trust of its users.