Italian court orders €60,000 compensation for unlawful probation dismissal

The Court of Appeal in Venice upheld a lower‑court ruling that a seasonal hotel employee was illegally dismissed during her probationary period. The worker had performed three days of duties before the formal start of her contract, which the judges classified as genuine employment rather than mere training. Because the dismissal – delivered verbally after only five days of service – lacked proper legal basis, the court declared it null and ordered the employer to pay roughly €60,000 in compensation, including back pay, severance and legal costs.

Separately, Italian labor‑law guidance outlines how employees can prove retaliatory dismissals. The Supreme Court of Cassation permits courts to infer unlawful motive from a series of logical clues, allowing judges to overturn dismissals that are motivated by revenge for the employee’s exercise of rights. The guidance stresses that direct evidence is not required if the pattern of facts demonstrates a clear retaliatory intent.