Court orders reinstatement and compensation for wrongfully terminated Faresmaathodaa Airport employee
2 އޮކްޓޯބަރު 2026 | ހުކުރު 10:51The Employment Tribunal has ordered Regional Airports Company Limited (RACL) to reinstate an employee of Faresmaathodaa Airport, ruling that the dismissal was carried out without following due procedural fairness. In addition to reinstatement, the tribunal ordered the company to pay over MVR 47,000 in back pay and benefits covering the period the employee was unlawfully terminated.
Faresmaathodaa Airport.
The Employment Tribunal has ordered Regional Airports Company Limited (RACL) to reinstate an employee of Faresmaathodaa Airport who was found to have been unlawfully dismissed. The tribunal also mandated the company to pay MVR 47,666.67 in compensation for lost wages and damages.
This case was filed with the Employment Tribunal by an employee from Gdh. Fiyoaree, who had served as the Administrative Officer at Faresmaathodaa Airport since March 14, 2023, following their dismissal from the post in September 2025.
RACL stated that the grounds for his dismissal included violations of the company's attendance policy, frequent absences from his post during duty hours, and failure to attend essential meetings. Additionally, the company cited the submission of a forged medical certificate as a reason for the termination. The company further noted that despite multiple disciplinary interventions, there had been no satisfactory improvement in his conduct.
However, in a ruling delivered last Monday, Employment Tribunal member Ishara Abdul Aziz determined that the employee's dismissal was unlawful. The presiding member noted that the termination violated the Employment Act, as the employer had failed to ensure both substantive and procedural fairness.
According to the case report, the employee had previously received warnings and faced disciplinary action regarding medical certificates and attendance issues. However, the company failed to prove that any such incidents recurred between that time and the date of dismissal. The report further noted that there is no legal basis for dismissing an employee for an offense for which they have already been penalized. Additionally, the report highlighted that the employee was not given the opportunity to respond to the allegations prior to termination and was dismissed without the statutory notice period required by law.
Consequently, the Employment Tribunal has ordered that the employee be treated as if they were never dismissed and be reinstated to their former position as an Administrative Officer.
Furthermore, RACL has been ordered to pay the employee MVR 47,666.67 in damages. This amount covers the salary for the period of four months and 23 days between his dismissal on September 3, 2025, and his subsequent employment at RDC on January 26, 2026.
