Ilyashev & Partners Successfully Defends International Company in Dismissal Dispute over Breach of Food Safety Policies

05/ 06/ 2025

Ilyashev & Partners successfully represented the Ukrainian subsidiary of an international company in a labor dispute initiated by a former employee, who sought to have the dismissal order canceled and reinstated to his position. The core of the dispute concerned the legality of the dismissal procedure for an employee who had repeatedly violated labor discipline. He failed to fulfill his official duties, and systematically disregarded internal company policies binding on all personnel. In response to these violations, the employer first issued a formal reprimand and terminated the employment relationship. To protect its interests and business reputation, the company engaged Ilyashev & Partners to represent it in court. Thanks to the professional and coordinated efforts of the Ilyashev & Partners team, the court concluded that the employer had fully complied with labor laws. This was both in applying the disciplinary sanction and in dismissing the employee. The grounds for the disciplinary action were properly substantiated and documented. Moreover, continuing the employment relationship poses potential reputational risks for the company. Between January and May 2025, both first-instance and appellate courts upheld the legality of employer decisions. “This case was particularly sensitive and complex, as the dismissal was closely tied to the enforcement of the company’s internal food safety policies,” said Valeriia Gudiy. “We conducted an in-depth analysis of internal regulations and disciplinary procedures, and performed an audit of the quality standards that were in place. A critical aspect was developing a legal position that clearly demonstrated the systematic nature of the employees misconduct. This poses a potential threat to the end consumer. We supported the client at every stage of the dispute – from collecting evidence in the first-instance court to representation in the appellate court. We proved that the client acted strictly in compliance with labor laws and that the dismissal procedure was considered valid. In such matters, it is crucial to have legal counsel who understands the clients business specifics. Thanks to this approach, the Ilyashev & Partners team secured a victory in a complex and high-stakes dispute.” The project was handled by Valeriia Gudiy, Partner, and Oleksandr Kamsha, Head of Ilyashev & Partners’ Dnipro Office.

The core of the dispute concerned the legality of the dismissal procedure for an employee who had repeatedly violated labor discipline. He failed to fulfill his official duties, and systematically disregarded internal company policies binding on all personnel. In response to these violations, the employer first issued a formal reprimand and terminated the employment relationship.

To protect its interests and business reputation, the company engaged Ilyashev & Partners to represent it in court.

Thanks to the professional and coordinated efforts of the Ilyashev & Partners team, the court concluded that the employer had fully complied with labor laws. This was both in applying the disciplinary sanction and in dismissing the employee. The grounds for the disciplinary action were properly substantiated and documented. Moreover, continuing the employment relationship poses potential reputational risks for the company.

Between January and May 2025, both first-instance and appellate courts upheld the legality of employer decisions.

“This case was particularly sensitive and complex, as the dismissal was closely tied to the enforcement of the company’s internal food safety policies,” said Valeriia Gudiy. “We conducted an in-depth analysis of internal regulations and disciplinary procedures, and performed an audit of the quality standards that were in place. A critical aspect was developing a legal position that clearly demonstrated the systematic nature of the employees’ misconduct. This poses a potential threat to the end consumer. We supported the client at every stage of the dispute – from collecting evidence in the first-instance court to representation in the appellate court. We proved that the client acted strictly in compliance with labor laws and that the dismissal procedure was considered valid. In such matters, it is crucial to have legal counsel who understands the client’s business specifics. Thanks to this approach, the Ilyashev & Partners team secured a victory in a complex and high-stakes dispute.”

The project was handled by Valeriia Gudiy, Partner, and Oleksandr Kamsha, Head of Ilyashev & Partners’ Dnipro Office.