Spanish woman fired for arriving to work 40 minutes early

A 22-year-old Spanish woman was recently dismissed from her job for consistently arriving 40 minutes before her scheduled work time, despite her boss’s repeated requests to come later.

She had been cautioned for over two years to stop arriving between 6:45 am and 7:00 am – a full 40 minutes before she was due in.

Despite being told she wasn’t permitted to check in or begin work ahead of her 7:30 am start time, she kept showing up at dawn. Her boss ultimately lost patience and fired the Spanish woman for serious misconduct, arguing that her consistent early-bird routine meant she was ignoring instructions rather than contributing to the company.

The woman appealed her dismissal to the Social Court of Alicante in Spain, claiming it was unjustified. However, the judges found that Spanish woman had continued her routine even after receiving multiple verbal and written warnings. She arrived early on at least 19 recorded occasions.

During her employment, on some days, she even attempted to log in through the company app before she reached the office.

Her employer also blamed her for a separate breach of trust: the unauthorized sale of a used company car battery.

The court stated that this behavior contributed to a pattern of disloyalty. In its ruling, the court supported the company’s position, clarifying that the issue was not her “excessive punctuality” itself, but her persistent refusal to follow workplace rules, which constituted a serious violation under Article 54 of the Spanish Workers’ Statute.

The woman retains the right to appeal to the High Court of Justice of the Valencian Community, but for now, the judgment stands.