Tax commissioner failed to properly assess terminations

Iceland’s State Tax Commissioner failed to establish a sufficient basis for a decision to abolish three positions for efficiency reasons, mbl.is reports, citing a newly published opinion from the Parliamentary Ombudsman.

The ombudsman did not object to the commissioner’s assessment that removing the positions from the Tax Agency’s organisational chart was necessary and served legitimate objectives.

However, the ombudsman found that the commissioner had not fulfilled his duty to investigate before abolishing the positions. There was considerable uncertainty over whether, and when, the stated wage-saving targets would be achieved.

The opinion also states that the three officials were not asked for their views on transferring to another vacant position.

The State Tax Commissioner was instructed to seek ways to rectify the position of the three officials.