Cleaner sacked for taking home stray kitten

Reported by Nick Pearson, ninemsn
Friday, August 10, 2012

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A Melbourne cleaner sacked from her job for taking home a stray kitten has received $3940 in compensation after her dismissal was ruled unfair.

Judith Montague had been working for Chadvic Cleaning Services at Carlton's YMCA student accommodation when she found the stray cat and gave it to her friend, The Age reports.

Staff had been warned not to pat or feed the cats, which Melbourne City Council looked after, but Ms Montague understood she could keep the kitten if it escaped from a drain it had become stuck in.

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Her boss Chaminda Fernando then told her the YMCA wanted the kitten returned, but her friend refused to give it back.

"I asked her, would she give the kitten back, she said, no she wouldn't, under no circumstances would she give it back," Ms Montague told a Fair Work Australia hearing.

She had already received two written warnings for unrelated matters at the time of her dismissal.

Ms Montague received five weeks pay in lieu of notice, but Fair Work ruled that her sacking was "harsh, unjust and unreasonable".

Sources: The Age
Author: Nick Pearson, Approving editor: Matthew Henry

19/05/2013 04:06Sydney, Australia. 19 May,2013
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