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Tort Liability and Employment Law: Intertwined Concepts

Tort liability and employment law have a long and intertwined history. The "control test," initially used by English courts to determine employee status, originated in tort law. Employers can be held liable for damages caused by their employees to third parties and property, provided an employment relationship exists and the employee acted under the employer's control or direction. The evolution of tort liability has often mirrored developments in employment law. A crucial element in establishing employer liability is whether the individual who caused the damage was indeed an employee. This determination rests on the definition of "employee" as established by employment law. Civil courts adjudicating tort claims must interpret the Employment and Labor Law to ascertain the existence of an employment contract between the employer and the injured party. The court cannot apply a different standard for employee identification than the one defined in the Employment ...

Conflict of Laws in Labour and civil cases

Introduction In a conflict of law case, a court is expected to address three basic issues: Determining the presence  judicial jurisdiction Determining the applicable law to solve the dispute Determining whether a foreign judgment should be given recognition by domestic courts Before these three issues are addressed, the court is primarily tasked with determining whether the case is really a conflict of law case or not? So, how does a case become a conflict of law case? A short to the question is that it becomes a conflict of law case, it contains a foreign element. What then is a foreign element? “When a case is said to contain a foreign element, the reference(s) may be of three natures __ personal, local, or material __ in that, respectively illustrated, if one of the parties of the case is a foreigner (including one from another federating unit) or the transaction of any nature took place, totally or partially, abroad (outside the forum state) or, fi...

Legal effect of absence of termination notice

Introduction An employment contract irrespective of its duration may be legally terminated with notice provided one of the grounds in article 28 of the labour proclamation is present. Merely giving notice in the absence of a valid ground does not make the termination lawful. This being the case, what will be the legal effect of termination with a valid ground (Article 28) but without notice? The common understanding is that the legal effect of absence of notice of termination is only payment in lieu of notice, but does not make the termination unlawful. The cassation bench has also affirmed such common understanding in its decision. (Altabe College Vs. Seid Mohammed Cassation File Number 39580 Ginbot 18-2001 E.C.) As a result a worker will not be entitled to reinstatement or compensation and severance pay.

Proof of dismissal by an employee

Introduction A worker claiming unlawful dismissal is not required to prove that his dismissal is contrary to the labour proclamation no.377/2006. Once the claim is submitted by the worker, the burden of proving the legality of the dismissal lies on the employer. This being the case, the worker has to prove the very existence of dismissal (if it is denied by the employer) in order to shift the burden of proving its legality to the employer. Dismissal signifies an act or measure taken by an employer. When the employer denies that he has not taken this measure, it is up to the worker to prove that he has been actually dismissed by the employer. An interpretation of the law by the Cassation bench in this regard clearly shows that the burden of proving the existence of dismissal lies on the worker. (China Road and Bridge Construction Enterprise Vs. Ato Girma Bushera, Cassation File No. 57541 Hidar 14-2003 E.C. (Cassation Decisions Volume 11)

Period of time to dismiss a worker for misconduct

Introduction According to Ethiopian labour law, an employer loses his right to dismiss a worker irrespective of a valid ground of dismissal, if he fails to make a decision to terminate the employment contract within 30 working days. The time starts to run from the date the employer knows the ground for the termination. (Article 27(3) of the labour proclamation 377/2003) The following is a brief summary of Cassation decisions regarding the application an interpretation Article 27(3.