22-year-old logistics employee dismissed after two years of showing up early

She worked for a delivery company in Alicante Province. Her shift starts at 7:30 a.m but she often arrived as early as 6:45 a.m., according to UK newspaper Metro.

In 2023, the company warned her multiple times, from verbal reminders to written notices, to stop arriving between 6.45 a.m. and 7 a.m.

She ignored the instructions and showed up early 19 more times. She also attempted to log into the company’s work management app before her permitted start time on multiple occassions.

The woman then brought the case to the Social Court of Alicante in Spain, arguing that her dismissal lacked justification.

A woman in front of a computer. Photo by Pexels

At the first-instance hearing, the company said her habit of arriving early did not add value and instead created obstacles for the company, Spanish daily newspaper AS said.

Management said they could not assign her tasks at that hour because the workflow depended on other staff.

One employee said she, "disrupted team coordination."

The woman argued she needed to start work early because her workload was too heavy but did not provide evidence in court.

She was also accused of selling a used company car battery without permission.

The judge said her repeated refusal to follow scheduling orders showed a lack of discipline.

The court concluded that her continued refusal to follow workplace rules constituted a serious violation under Article 54 of the Spanish Workers’ Statute, which is grounds for dismissal without compensation.

Labor law expert Alberto Paya said the judge saw her actions as a serious offense that violated the principles of trust and loyalty expected between employees and the company.

The case drew debate on Spanish social media, with many online users showing support for the woman.

"If you’re late, they’re angry. If you’re early, they’re angry," one comment read.

Another person said, "This is the first time I’ve heard someone could lose their job for arriving early. At my workplace the boss would turn you into a statue."

The woman still has the right to appeal to the Supreme Court of Valencia.