ConCourt dismisses company’s unfair dagga dismissal appeal
The Constitutional Court has dismissed Barloworld’s leave to appeal against a Labour Court ruling against them.
Picture: © realcontent/123rf.com
Lester Kiewit speaks with Bernadette “Burny” Enever, former Barloworld employee who won her case against them.
Listen to the interview in the audio below.
In 2020, Enever was dismissed by Barloworld for a positive cannabis test, despite no evidence that her work was impaired.
The Labour Court ruled that it was an unfair dismissal and ordered that the company pay her two years of backdated salary.
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Barloworld attempted to appeal the matter in the Constitutional Court, but it was dismissed.
The company had a zero-tolerance policy for cannabis use, but Enever says that the urine test used is not an accurate assessment for THC in your system.
“It is not fair that you can go to work with a hell of a hangover or high on opioids, but not with THC in your urine.”
- Bernadette “Burny” Enever, former Barloworld employee
She says that at her age, and being dismissed at the height of the pandemic, made it extremely difficult to get another job.
Since her dismissal, she says she has been living hand to mouth as an informal trader and is relieved that she has been awarded the backdated salary.
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.