This article is from the source 'washpo' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/spain-civil-servant-fined-after-skipping-work-for-years/2016/02/12/e40261a0-d18b-11e5-90d3-34c2c42653ac_story.html

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Spain: Civil servant fined after skipping work for years Spain: Civil servant fined after skipping work for years
(about 4 hours later)
MADRID — A Spanish court has ruled that a civil servant who failed to show up to work for years must pay back nearly 27,000 euros ($30,500) in wages. MADRID — The case started with confusion over where a civil servant in southern Spain worked. Now a court has ruled he must pay back nearly 27,000 euros ($30,500) in wages because for years he actually didn’t work at all.
The employee of a city-owned water utility didn’t appear at the office for up to six years and “did absolutely no work” from 2007 to 2010 prior to his retirement in 2011, said the ruling issued last month and provided to The Associated Press Friday. The employee of a water utility owned by the Spanish city of Cadiz didn’t appear at its office for up to six years and “did absolutely no work” for three years prior to his retirement in 2011, said the ruling issued last month and provided to The Associated Press Friday.
It didn’t explain why the absence of the worker, who cannot be named under Spanish law, went undetected for so long. It didn’t explain why the worker, who cannot be named under Spanish law, went undetected until his case was discovered in 2010, shortly before he was due to receive a plaque recognizing him for 20 years of service.
Former Cadiz Deputy Mayor Jorge Blas told the El Mundo newspaper he initiated the investigation when city officials were about to give the worker a certificate honoring 20 years of service and realized he hadn’t been seen at the water utility for a long time after transferring there from a city hall job. Former Cadiz Deputy Mayor Jose Blas Fernandez said in a telephone interview he initiated the investigation after reviewing personnel records and realizing no one had seen the worker for a long time after his transfer to the utility from a city hall job.
The utility said it thought the worker had transferred back to city hall and the worker had no response when asked what tasks he had recently performed, Blas told the newspaper. The Aguas de Cadiz utility told Blas Fernandez it thought the worker had transferred back to city hall, but that wasn’t the case, Blas Fernandez said.
Cadiz city officials sought the penalty of one year of his net pay, the worker appealed and the latest court ruling marked the end of a legal fight that had lasted years. He got the worker on the phone, ordered him to report to city hall and said he was evasive when asked what sort of tasks he had been doing in recent years.
Current Deputy Cadiz Mayor Martin Vila told reporters Friday he was amazed that “a person could be hired for years and collecting (pay) without doing anything whatsoever.” Cadiz city officials sought the penalty representing one year of the worker’s net pay, the maximum allowed. But the worker appealed, starting a legal battle that lasted years until the court ruled against him.
The case has also taken on political undertones, with Vila citing allegations the worker had been a victim of workplace “bullying” by members of the conservative Popular Party. It ruled Cadiz from 1995 to 2015 before it was ousted by a far left coalition led by the Podemos party. The case has made headlines across Spain this week, and current Cadiz Deputy Mayor Martin Vila told reporters Friday he was amazed that “a person could be hired for years and collecting (pay) without doing anything whatsoever.”
It has also taken on political undertones, with Vila citing allegations the worker had been a victim of workplace “bullying” by members of the conservative Popular Party. It ruled Cadiz from 1995 until its ouster last year by a far left coalition led by the Podemos party.
Vila didn’t provide more details but said the allegations “would be despicable if confirmed.”Vila didn’t provide more details but said the allegations “would be despicable if confirmed.”
Blas Fernandez said the worker never mentioned any bullying allegations earlier.
The worker sent city hall a letter denying he abandoned his job and asking officials not to force him to pay back the money.
Vila didn’t say whether officials have responded but pledged that the city administration would immediately focus on “the optimization of human resources” to reduce the risk of similar cases.
The worker’s lawyer, Fernando Lepiani, didn’t respond to messages seeking comment.The worker’s lawyer, Fernando Lepiani, didn’t respond to messages seeking comment.
___
This story has been corrected to show the accurate first name of the former Cadiz deputy mayor is Jose, not Jorge.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.