Conduct contrary to Instructions

The employee must follow the instructions regarding work given by the employer. If he/she does not follow them, the employer has the right to terminate the employment relationship. In order to have sufficient grounds for terminating the employment relationship the instructions given to the employee by the employer have to be adequately clear. In addition, the employee’s breaches of the employer’s instructions must be severe and repeated. The conduct of the employee should be compared to the general average practices within the company.

It is usually required that the employer has been given a warning before the employment relationship can be terminated based on a breach of instructions. However, it is not required that the employee’s conduct has caused damage to the employer.

The fact that an employee breaches the employer’s instructions does not usually qualify as a cancellation ground on which the employment relationship can be terminated immediately without a notice period. Cancellation of an employment relationship due to conduct contrary to instructions may chiefly occur in situations where the employee intentionally or by negligence risks the safety of the working place.