The UK trade union IWGB has filed a legal claim against Rockstar Games, accusing the company of unfairly dismissing 30-40 staff involved in union activities, which Rockstar denies, claiming misconduct. The union alleges victimisation and warns against employer impunity in the gaming industry, amid ongoing unionization efforts and delays in GTA 6 release.
SpaceX has filed a lawsuit against the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to halt the progress of a complaint alleging the company illegally fired eight employees who criticized Elon Musk's social media conduct. SpaceX contends that the NLRB's structure is unconstitutional and that its use of administrative judges denies the company the right to a jury trial. The employees were terminated after writing an open letter that called Musk's behavior on social media a distraction and embarrassment. This legal move mirrors SpaceX's previous strategy of suing to block administrative cases, as seen with the Department of Justice's accusation of discriminatory hiring practices.
Citibank has won a legal battle in the UK after firing an employee, Szabolcs Fekete, for claiming expenses for sandwiches and coffee for his partner during a business trip and then lying about it. Fekete initially said he consumed the food alone but later admitted to sharing it. The bank argued that the claim breached its expense management policy, which does not reimburse spousal travel and meals. The employment judge concluded that Fekete's dismissal was fair as he was not initially honest about the misclaimed expense. Citibank expressed satisfaction with the decision.
A former Citibank analyst, Szabolcs Fekete, has lost his claim of unfair dismissal after it was discovered that he had lied about expensing meals for his partner and charging them to the company. Fekete had taken a business trip to Amsterdam and claimed that all the food and drinks were for himself, despite expense reports showing meals for two people. When questioned further, Fekete elaborated on his eating habits, claiming to have consumed two sandwiches, two coffees, and a third drink in one sitting. The London tribunal rejected Fekete's claims, finding both the complaints of unfair and wrongful dismissal to be unfounded. Citibank expressed satisfaction with the decision.
An Australian woman, Suzie Cheikho, was fired from her job at Insurance Australia Group (IAG) after the company used keystroke technology to monitor her work-from-home performance. The company found that she had low keystroke activity, started work late on multiple days, finished early, and did not work her rostered hours. The Fair Work Commission (FWC) rejected her unfair dismissal claim, stating that she was fired for valid reasons of misconduct. Ms Cheikho claimed that she was targeted due to her mental health issues, but the FWC ruled that she was not working as required during her designated working hours.
A longtime Starbucks employee and union organizer, Alexis Rizzo, was fired for tardiness, which she claims was a setup by the company. Starbucks says Rizzo violated company policy for missing more than four hours of work over six instances. Rizzo believes her firing was no coincidence and that corporate had been trying to get rid of her for years. She wants her job back and filed an unfair labor practice charge against Starbucks through the National Labor Relations Board. A GoFundMe was set up to help Rizzo and has reached more than $10,000.