He hit a vending machine to get a candy bar, the company fires him, and the court rules in his favor

Losing your job over $1.90 may seem unthinkable, but that is exactly what happened to a security guard at a logistics center in Valdemoro, south of the Spanish capital of Madrid. Building security cameras recorded him approaching a vending machine and, without inserting a single coin, forcefully pushing it with his full weight to dislodge a candy bar. Not satisfied, he tried again a couple more times, hitting the machine until he managed to get a second bar completely free.

After reviewing the footage, the company reported him to the authorities and proceeded to terminate his employment for disciplinary reasons. The worker decided to take the case to court, arguing that his misconduct was not serious enough to justify being fired.

However, the judges disagreed. The High Court of Justice of Madrid ruled that the company’s decision was entirely valid. As a result, not only is he officially dismissed, but he is also not entitled to any severance pay.

A matter of loyalty, not money

The key to this ruling is not the negligible price of the candy bars, but the employee’s behavior and breach of trust. Labor law experts emphasize that any employment relationship is built on good faith and mutual trust, as established in Article 54.2 of Spain’s Workers’ Statute.

If an employee, especially one whose role is to ensure security and monitor the premises, steals from his own workplace and damages company property, that trust is immediately destroyed. The court made it clear that a disciplinary dismissal does not require causing a “significant financial loss” to the company. It is enough to show that the employee acted disloyally and permanently broke the bond of trust with his employer.

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