Former OHP Center Head Loses Court Battle Over Dismissal After Mobbing Findings

The former head of a Voluntary Labor Corps center in Człuchów has lost her lawsuit against her dismissal, following court findings that she subjected staff to severe workplace mobbing and verbal abuse.

Investigation Triggered by Staff Complaints

The case came to light in June 2024 when a group of employees at the Training and Education Center in Człuchów submitted a request for intervention to Provincial OHP Commander Adam Lubiewski. They claimed their manager was breaking labor laws and systematically violating their dignity.

Later that month, the commander appointed a three-member anti-mobbing commission, which interviewed all center staff within five days. Two days later, a final report was issued concluding that the manager had indeed engaged in mobbing.

Dismissal and Court Lawsuit

The commission established that the woman spoke to other employees in a vulgar and offensive manner, depreciated their competence, threatened them with dismissal, and allegedly pushed one employee. Shortly afterward, in early July 2024, the commander dismissed her.

The former manager filed a lawsuit in the District Court in Człuchów demanding 15,300 PLN in compensation for the contract termination. She argued that the employer exceeded the statutory monthly period to fire her after learning of irregularities, and claimed that due to illness, she failed to collect a postal notification, meaning the dismissal notice did not reach her.

Court Dismisses Claim and Highlights Abuse

In April of this year, the Człuchów court dismissed the lawsuit. The court ruled that the commander obtained full information about the situation when the anti-mobbing report was finalized in early July 2024, and sent the dismissal letter just days later, thus staying within the statutory period.

The court noted that “mobbing constitutes a severe violation of basic employee duties.” The judgment included testimonies detailing how the manager called staff “morons,” “idiots,” and “failures,” undermined educators in front of students, and spread rumors about workplace affairs.

Previous Management and OHP Background

The former manager assumed her role in 2020 through an internal promotion under then-Provincial Commander Adam Matuszewski, who stated he received no signals of irregularities during his tenure. Subsequent commander Anna Staniewicz also noted no complaints were filed, while current commander Adam Lubiewski declined to comment, citing privacy protection.

The Voluntary Labor Corps (OHP) is a state agency supporting individuals aged 14 to 30 in education and professional development under the Ministry of Family, Labor, and Social Policy. OHP training and education centers provide full care, accommodation, and workshops for youth aged 15 to 18.