Turkish Court Orders Reinstatement of Waiter Fired Over Glass Incident

A waiter who had worked for nearly ten years at a restaurant was dismissed after a manager claimed he placed a tea glass on a table too forcefully. The employee appealed to the labor court, arguing the termination was unjustified.

The Regional Court of Appeal (Bölge Adliye Mahkemesi) ruled that verbal disputes and the isolated glass‑placement incident do not constitute valid grounds for dismissal. It noted the employer had not issued no written warnings and that termination should be a last resort. The court declared the firing invalid and ordered the waiter’s reinstatement.