Mercadona manager's dismissal upheld over excessive internet use

The High Court of Justice (TSJ) of Castilla y León has upheld the disciplinary dismissal of a Mercadona manager for excessive and unauthorized internet use during working hours. The court's ruling, sentence 1541/2026, dismissed the worker's appeal and confirmed the termination of the contract was justified.

According to the court, the dismissal was based on a serious breach of contract involving a violation of good faith and an abuse of trust. Investigations revealed that between February and April 2025, the manager accessed unauthorized platforms such as YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, Reddit, and Trustpilot a total of 7,685 times from a corporate computer.

The employee, who had been with the company since 2006, also faced prior warnings regarding inappropriate comments toward colleagues and the unauthorized use of mobile devices during work hours.