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| Spanish civil servant's six-year absence from work not noticed | Spanish civil servant's six-year absence from work not noticed |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A Spanish civil servant has been fined €27,000 (£21,000; $30,000) after not going to work for "at least" six years. | A Spanish civil servant has been fined €27,000 (£21,000; $30,000) after not going to work for "at least" six years. |
| Joaquin Garcia's absence was only noticed when he became eligible to collect a long-service award. | Joaquin Garcia's absence was only noticed when he became eligible to collect a long-service award. |
| The 69-year-old, whose job was to supervise the building of a waste water treatment plant, has since retired. | |
| He denied the allegations and said he was a victim of bullying. A court found in the authority's favour and ordered him to pay the fine. | He denied the allegations and said he was a victim of bullying. A court found in the authority's favour and ordered him to pay the fine. |
| Mr Garcia was paid €37,000 a year before tax by a water company run by local authorities in the south-western city of Cadiz. His fine was equivalent to one year's salary after tax and was the most that the company could legally reclaim. | Mr Garcia was paid €37,000 a year before tax by a water company run by local authorities in the south-western city of Cadiz. His fine was equivalent to one year's salary after tax and was the most that the company could legally reclaim. |
| The court heard that the boss of the water company had not seen him for years despite occupying an office opposite his. | The court heard that the boss of the water company had not seen him for years despite occupying an office opposite his. |
| Reading philosophy | |
| The water company thought he was supervised by the local authorities and vice versa. | The water company thought he was supervised by the local authorities and vice versa. |
| The deputy mayor noticed his absence when Mr Garcia became due to receive a plaque for 20 years' service. | The deputy mayor noticed his absence when Mr Garcia became due to receive a plaque for 20 years' service. |
| Mr Garcia says he was bullied due to his family's politics, and was sent to the water company to be out of the way. | Mr Garcia says he was bullied due to his family's politics, and was sent to the water company to be out of the way. |
| People close to him told Spanish newspaper El Mundo that he was reluctant to report it as he had a family to provide for, and worried that at his age he would not get another job. | People close to him told Spanish newspaper El Mundo that he was reluctant to report it as he had a family to provide for, and worried that at his age he would not get another job. |
| They said he did go to the office, although not for full business hours every day, and that he dedicated himself to reading philosophy. | They said he did go to the office, although not for full business hours every day, and that he dedicated himself to reading philosophy. |