16 October 2023 , 20:28
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A bank worker who was sacked for claiming his partner's food on company expenses then lied about it has lost his case at an employment tribunal against Citibank.
Szabolcs Fekete had initially claimed that only he had eaten two sandwiches, two coffees and two pasta dishes during a business trip to Amsterdam – but he later admitted that his partner had also shared some of the meals he had claimed for. Fekete, who was employed by Citi for seven years as an analyst specialising in financial crime, then accused the bank of unfair dismissal after he was fired last year for gross misconduct.
The analyst had travelled to Amsterdam for work between July 3 and 5 last year. On returning to London, he claimed for food and drink which he considered to have been covered by the bank's £86.70 (€100) daily allowance.
Extra coffees and sandwichs led to a banker being dismissed (Getty Images/iStockphoto)However, the manager he sent in the demand to questioned whether the food and refreshments he wanted to claim for were all for him. In an email exchange detailed in the employment tribunal ruling, Fekete wrote: "I was on the business trip by myself and... I had 2 coffees as they were very small. On that day I skipped breakfast and only had one coffee in the morning. For lunch I had one sandwich with a drink and one coffee in the restaurant, and took another coffee back to the office with me and had the second sandwich in the afternoon… which also served as my dinner."
According to the Financial Times, he went on to tell Citi that all his expenses were within the €100 daily allowance and asked the manager to explain what their concern was, as "I don't think I have to justify my eating habits to this extent". The manager said the query was not about the amount but whether the claim breached the bank's expense management policy, where spousal travel and meals are not reimbursable. The policy also states that all attendees whose meals are submitted for reimbursement must be listed.
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The bank sent the case to its security and investigations services department, which also questioned Fekete about whether he had shared a meal of pasta, pesto and a bolognese with his partner, to which he replied "no". The banker later admitted he had shared meals but said he was having personal difficulties following the death of his grandmother, had taken six weeks of medical leave and was on strong medication when he replied to emails.
But the bank sacked him and Fekete then took Citi to court for unfair dismissal and wrongful dismissal. In the judgement, Employment Judge Illing found in favour of Citi, saying: "I have found that this case is not about the sums of money involved. This case is about the filing of the expense claim and the conduct of the claimant thereafter.
"It is significant that the claimant did not make a full and frank disclosure at the first opportunity and that he did not answer questions directly. The claimant was employed in a position of trust in a global financial institution. I am satisfied that even if the expense claim had been filed under a misunderstanding, there was an obligation upon the claimant to own up and rectify the position at the first opportunity. I accept that the respondent requires a commitment to honesty from its employees."
A spokesperson for Citi said: "We are pleased with the decision."