Sacked nurse awarded compensation

A pregnant nurse who went on sick leave for five days without producing a medical certificate has been awarded Lm1,120 compensation for unfair dismissal after an industrial tribunal heard that her sick leave had been authorised by a doctor at the hospital where she worked.

Tribunal chairman Carmel Debono heard how Rose Zammit was employed as an enrolled nurse at St Philip's Hospital by The Golden Shepherd Group Limited.

Her employment was terminated on June 12, 2002, for failing to produce a medical certificate to cover five days' sick leave between June 1-5, 2002.

The company also claimed she had abused her position by helping someone obtain a letter of referral for treatment at St Luke's Hospital from a doctor at St Philip's Hospital but the tribunal dismissed this claim and said this was not an abuse.

The tribunal noted that, at the time, Zammit was passing through a delicate stage of her pregnancy and that private matters might have affected her attitude at work.

But after evaluating the evidence, the tribunal noted that Zammit had not abused of sick leave since that was the only time she had not presented a medical certificate.