OK to Fire Driver for Viewing Porn on Company Computer

The truck driver’s first mistake was using the computer in the lunch room to view porn when he thought nobody was around. His second mistake was falsely denying it after he got caught. The union acknowledged that discipline was in order but insisted that summary dismissal was too harsh. But the federal arbitrator disagreed and refused to reinstate the driver citing the company’s clear anti-harassment policy banning ‘display of pornographic material or sexually suggestive objects or pictures in the workplace.’ He wasn’t trying to harass anybody; but he also knew others might see the images and get offended and decided to take that risk. Lying to company investigators sealed his fate and justified the employer’s decision to fire him without going through the usual progressive discipline process [Teamsters Local Union 987 v Purolator Inc., 2019 CanLII 18388 (CA LA), Feb. 14, 2019].