What are the principles applicable to the dismissal of a dishonest employee for cause?

The trial judge turned to McKinley v. BC Tel, [2001] 2 S.C.R. 161, 2001 SCC 38 for the principles applicable to the dismissal of a dishonest employee for cause. In that case, Iacobucci J., who gave the judgment of the court, rejected the proposition that dishonesty in and of itself warrants dismissal without notice. Rather, he said, 48 … I am of the view that whether an employer is justified in dismissing an employee on the grounds of dishonesty is a question that requires an assessment of the context of the alleged misconduct. More specifically, the test is whether the employee's dishonesty gave rise to a breakdown in the employment relationship. This test can be expressed in different ways. One could say, for example, that just cause for dismissal exists where the dishonesty violates an essential condition of the employment contract, breaches the faith inherent to the work relationship, or is fundamentally or directly inconsistent with the employee's obligations to his or her employer. 49 In accordance with this test, a trial judge must instruct the jury to determine: (1) whether the evidence established the employee's deceitful conduct on a balance of probabilities; and (2) if so, whether the nature and degree of the dishonesty warranted dismissal. In my view, the second branch of this test does not blend questions of fact and law. Rather, assessing the seriousness of the misconduct requires the facts established at trial to be carefully considered and balanced. As such, it is a factual inquiry for the jury to undertake.