A former delivery man with Alphonse Farrugia and Sons Limited has been awarded Lm1,700 compensation for unfair dismissal after a tribunal heard how he was sacked two months into his probation period after he was injured at work.

Tribunal chairman Alphonse Caruana ruled in favour of Michael Borg after hearing how he was sacked while still recovering from a serious injury when a water pallet fell on his back.

Borg was employed on July 18, 2001, and was injured on August 21, 2001, when a water pallet fell off the truck he was driving on the Birkirkara by-pass and he got out to pick it up, when another pallet fell on his back and seriously injured him.

He was operated but remained permanently disabled, the tribunal heard, and Borg claimed he could not do anything much any more, not carry, not drive and not bend down.

He was sacked on September 24, 2001 and the tribunal ruled that his dismissal while he was out on sick leave because of an accidental injury he suffered at work was against the law and could not be in any way justified, "apart from other humane and Christian considerations".

Dr George Abela was counsel to Borg while Dr Anthony Cutajar was counsel to Joseph Bajada who represented the company.

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