Care worker fired for punching elderly dementia patient loses wrongful termination case

A Finnish district court has ruled that care provider Attendo was justified in dismissing a care worker without warning after she punched an elderly dementia patient in the stomach, Yle reports. The worker had challenged her termination in court, demanding a year’s salary in compensation.

The incident came to light in November 2023 when Attendo received two anonymous reports about poor treatment of residents at a group home in Oulu, where most residents have dementia. Staff were then instructed to report any misconduct.

Multiple complaints followed, including allegations that the care worker had struck a resident in the stomach with a closed fist during care. While the worker logged the incident as gently pressing the resident’s abdomen due to constipation, a colleague testified in court to seeing a full-force punch. Another report described the worker handling a resident so roughly that they fell to the floor, requiring a check for broken bones. Additional complaints cited shouting and aggressive behaviour.

Attendo terminated the worker’s employment without warning after presenting her with a list of around 20 misconduct allegations. She subsequently sued for wrongful dismissal, seeking approximately €34,000—equivalent to a year’s salary—and argued the claims were baseless rumours driven by a divided workplace. She also contended that the lack of prior warnings made the dismissal unlawful.

The Oulu District Court rejected her case, ruling that the worker’s actions were unprofessional and serious enough to warrant immediate termination. The court found her behaviour clearly violated professional duties and that she should have understood the potential consequences. She was further ordered to cover Attendo’s legal costs of over €21,000.

The ruling was issued last week, with the case first reported by regional newspaper Kaleva.