Supreme Court rulings clarify labor rights regarding absences and working hours

The Supreme Court has issued rulings clarifying labor obligations regarding employee absences and the recognition of working hours.

In one decision, the Court ruled that medical leave constitutes sufficient justification for work absences, even if the employee fails to notify the employer in a timely manner. The ruling, which dismissed an appeal by a transport company, reaffirmed that established jurisprudence protects workers from dismissal for unjustified absences when the absence is backed by valid medical certification.

In a separate matter, the Court addressed the impact of new time-tracking systems on existing labor agreements. The ruling established that new clock-in methods or software cannot unilaterally eliminate previously negotiated benefits. Specifically, if a collective bargaining agreement recognizes breakfast breaks or a grace period for arrival as part of the working day, the employer must continue to honor those conditions regardless of new digital registration systems.