Business · Companies · 8 hrs ago
Dutch travel company ordered to pay over €60,000 after firing sick employee
A Dutch travel portal, Prijsvrij, fired an employee two days after he finished the Rotterdam Marathon while on sick leave.
The man had been diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, a condition that weakens muscles and can affect vision.
He had told the company doctor in January that he ran four times a week and was training for a marathon.
Prijsvrij said the marathon and his short car trips showed he had misled the company about his health.
The court found no proof of deception and noted that the company knew about his training.
It also found that hiring investigators to follow him was a serious and disproportionate intrusion into his family’s privacy.
The company must pay over €60,000, including €50,000 in compensation intended to deter similar treatment by employers.
A Dutch court ordered travel company Prijsvrij to pay a former employee more than €60,000 after ruling that his dismissal while he was on sick leave was wrongful.
The employee had been diagnosed with myasthenia gravis and ran the Rotterdam Marathon on 13 April 2025 while signed off sick.
Prijsvrij dismissed him two days after the race, alleging he had misrepresented his condition or driven despite vision problems.
The appeals court said the company knew he was training for a marathon and had not proved that he deceived it.
The court also found that surveillance of the employee was a serious and disproportionate intrusion into his and his family’s privacy.
- Who
- Dutch travel company Prijsvrij and a former employee whose name was not stated.
- What
- The appeals court ruled the employee’s dismissal was wrongful and ordered Prijsvrij to pay him more than €60,000.
- When
- The court ruled on 22 September; the year was not stated in the article.
- Where
- The case was heard by the Court of Appeal in The Hague, Netherlands.
- Why
- The court said Prijsvrij had not proved deception, knew the employee was marathon training, and had subjected him to disproportionate surveillance.
Prijsvrij
The former employee
Dismissal
Prijsvrij
Prijsvrij said the employee had either exaggerated his symptoms or driven with vision problems, destroying the company’s trust in him.
The former employee
The employee challenged his dismissal; the court found that Prijsvrij had not proved he deceived the company.
Marathon training
Prijsvrij
Prijsvrij treated the employee’s marathon as grounds for concern about his sick leave.
The former employee
The employee had told the company doctor in January that he ran four times a week and was training for a marathon.
Surveillance
Prijsvrij
Prijsvrij hired investigators who followed and photographed the employee.
The former employee
The court found the surveillance disproportionate and a serious intrusion into the privacy of the employee and his family.
The employee started a one-year fixed-term job at Prijsvrij.
He developed sudden vision problems and reported sick.
He told the company doctor that he ran four times a week and was training for a marathon.
Prijsvrij had a detective agency observe the employee on several days.
The employee completed the Rotterdam Marathon in 3:27:58.
Prijsvrij summarily dismissed him.
The Court of Appeal in The Hague ruled against Prijsvrij; the year was not stated in the article.
- Company
- Prijsvrij, a Dutch travel portal
- Race
- Rotterdam Marathon, 13 April 2025
- Finish time
- 3:27:58
- Race placing
- 3,112nd of 17,843 participants
- Compensation
- €50,000, in addition to about €4,550 gross in lost earnings; the article reports a total payment of more than €60,000
What people are saying
perhaps with more nuance
a mere gut feeling
Sources
Related news
German letter prices could rise by up to 20.35% in 2027
Volkswagen vehicle deliveries fall 14.3% in the third quarter
IMF raises Germany's 2026 growth forecast to 1.3%
Trade Republic plans a fee-free German retirement account with 51 ETFs
Germany shifts toward tougher trade measures against China
Deutsche Bank chief urges Germany to speed up reforms
EU investigates XXXLutz’s planned takeover of Porta
Dax opens nearly unchanged above 25,000 as chip stocks fall
Trade Republic plans fee-free retirement account ahead of 2027 launch
Trade Republic plans free retirement investment account
Germany’s debt is forecast to reach 78.25% of GDP by 2030
