Polish Supreme Court dismissed appeal; leaving work without cause was not a serious breach due to lack of subjective fault.

The Supreme Court of Poland dismissed the cassation appeal filed by the employer against a labor court judgment. The employer argued that the employee's unauthorized departure from work constituted a serious breach of duties under Article 52 of the Labor Code, justifying immediate termination. The court held that while the employee did leave work without justification, the circumstances and the employee's subjective state of mind precluded classifying the breach as 'serious.' The court emphasized that termination for cause is an exceptional measure requiring proof of significant subjective fault, which was absent here given the specific context of the shift. Consequently, the court upheld the lower court's decision to reinstate the employee and reject the claim for immediate dismissal.