Hatton National Bank PLC vs M.S.K.A. Pieris – SC APPEAL NO 48/2018-2024

In the case between M. S. K.A. Pieris (Applicant, former employee) and Hatton National Bank PLC (Respondent, employer), the issue addressed was whether the termination of the Applicant’s employment was justified under the Industrial Disputes Act and the relevant contractual obligations. The court determined that the evidence presented by the employer failed to establish the alleged misconduct and “loss of confidence” on a balance of probabilities, affirming that such a finding requires a clear factual basis rather than conjecture. In reviewing the decisions of the Labour Tribunal and High Court, it was held that proper standards of evidentiary assessment and legal tests for industrial disputes were applied. Ultimately, while reinstatement was denied due to the passage of time and the Appli