Ali Condon
A hairdresser who was sacked from her job for repeatedly calling in sick on Mondays is set to receive over £3,000 in compensation.
Celine Thorley, 25, was fired by Acute Barbers in Cardiff after 'four years of phoning in sick on Mondays'.
The hairdresser's former boss Christian Donnelly, 39, was convinced that Thorley had been faking her illnesses after fun-filled weekends.
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A court heard of how Donnelly had told Thorley 'don't let me down on Monday' during what would be her final shift in late October 2021.
The tribunal heard that Thorley was planning to throw a Halloween house party over the weekend, and Donnelly was concerned that she'd feign sickness after the celebrations.
But, as Donnelly had feared, Thorley texted him that following Monday morning to let him know that she was too ill to make it in.
The text read: "Hey Chris I know you’re going to be mad at me but I can’t make it to work sorry I really didn’t think I was going to be this bad I’m not well at all I was a mess yesterday and I’ve woke up this morning and was sick straight away.
"I really thought I was going to be okay today... my stomach is killing me and I’m all shaky... I really can’t get out of bed Chris. I’m soo sorry!"
Furious that Thorley had called in sick once again, Donnelly texted back that he was 'not having this' and let her know that she was being let go.
"After four years of phoning in sick on Mondays because you’d had a good weekend, I can do what I like, trust me,” his text read.
"I’ve kept that shop open just to keep you in a wage... Don’t come in and you’re gone."
When Thorley threatened to take legal action, Donnelly told her to have at it, replying: "You've had all your warnings. Crack on with all that legal s**t."
A judge this week ruled that Thorley was genuinely ill with a heavy period on the day she was fired.
Thorley told the court that her sick days were 'not as bad' as her former boss suggested, and while she did need time off every now and again for her period issues, she claimed it was 'every month or every other month'.
She also claimed that she suffered from endometriosis and was on a waiting list to be seen by a gynaecologist for a full diagnosis.
However, the tribunal heard that there was no referral letter in her medical records.
The judge found that Mr Donnelly had not given Celine a formal warning before her dismissal, ruling that 'a fair process had been ignored altogether'.
After the trial, Mr Donnelly told WalesOnline that the barber shop was shut down 'pretty much immediately' after sacking Thorley, and he had to to sell his car to pay £700 for two hours of legal advice before the tribunal.
He will now have to pay Thorley a total of £3,453 in compensation.
The barbershop owner added that he stands by his decision to sack Thorley because of her 'pattern' of calling in sick on Mondays, but acknowledged that he should have gone through the correct process of dismissal, such as written warnings.
Tyla has reached out to Celine Thorley for comment.