TFL Vsebine / Revija Pravnik

7

Zagovor delavca v postopku odpovedi pogodbe o zaposlitvi je odraz postopkovnih omejitev za delodajalca, ki želi delavcu odpovedati pogodbo o zaposlitvi. Namen zagovora je, da delavec predstavi svoja stališča, svoj pogled na očitke. Delavcu omogoča, da je slišan, delodajalcu pa posledično omogoča sprejem ustrezne odločitve o prenehanju delovnega razmerja ali o sprejemu drugih delovnopravnih sankcij. Ker je zagovor smiseln zgolj v primeru, da razlog za odpoved pogodbe o zaposlitvi nastane na strani delavca, bodisi zaradi kršitev obveznosti iz delovnega razmerja bodisi zaradi nedoseganja ustreznih rezultatov dela, je obvezen le v nekaterih primerih, in sicer v primerih izredne odpovedi pogodbe o zaposlitvi ter v primerih redne odpovedi pogodbe o zaposlitvi iz krivdnega razloga in razloga nesposobnosti, po mojem mnenju pa tudi zaradi neuspešno opravljenega poskusnega dela. Da se bo delavec lahko zagovarjal, ga mora delodajalec pravočasno in na ustrezen način dejansko seznaniti s kršitvami oziroma z nedovolj dobro opravljenim delom, ni pa dolžan izvajati posebnega dokaznega postopka, saj ne gre za sodni postopek. Vse navedene postopkovne zahteve glede izvedbe zagovora morajo biti spoštovane, saj vplivajo na zakonitost odpovedi pogodbe o zaposlitvi. Delovno sodišče, ki sodi v sporu o zakonitosti odpovedi pogodbe o zaposlitvi, je strogo pri preverjanju, ali je bil zagovor delavcu omogočen in izveden po pravilnem postopku, in ozko razlaga možnost delodajalca, da v določenih primerih delavcu zagovora izjemoma ne omogoči. Ker ima kršitev zakonskih določb o zagovoru lahko za posledico nezakonitost kasneje podane odpovedi pogodbe o zaposlitvi, je pravilna izvedba tega postopka vsekakor tudi v interesu delodajalca, čeprav je prvenstveno namenjena varstvu delavca, kot šibkejše stranke delovnega razmerja.

Procedural constraints for the employer intending to terminate the employment contract, are also indicated in the employee’s right to defend himself or herself. The purpose of this right is to allow the employee to present his or her position and perspective on the accusations. In this way, the employee can be heard and the employer can accept the right decision to terminate the employment contract or to impose other sanctions. Since the employee’s defense is reeasonable only in cases in which the reason for termination of employment contract is on employee’s side, either because of the violation of his or her obligations or because of inadequately completed work, it is compulsory only in some cases, in the case of extraordinary termination and in the case of ordinary termination for reasons of incompetence or misconduct, and in my opinion also for reason of unsuccessful completion of a probationary period. For the employee to be able to defend himself or herself, the employer must acquaint him or her with the alleged violations or inadequately completed work and provide him or her with the opportunity to defend himself or herself within a reasonable time period. However, the employer has no obligation to produce any evidence as in judicial proceedings. The employee’s defence procedure must be in compliance with all procedural requirements stated above, since the violation of these requirements can cause the unlawfulness of the termination of the employment contract. A labour court adjudicating on the lawfulness of a termination of the employment contract is very strict in examining whether the employer had given the employee an opportunity to defend himself or herself and whether proceedings were performed properly. Labour court also interprets narrowly the employer’s possibility not to provide the employee with an opportunity to defend himself or herself. Since a violation of the proceedings with employee’s presenting his or her defence prior to termination of the

Employee's Defence in the Procedure Prior to Employment Contract Termination by the Employer