An industrial tribunal ordered Ramla Garden Hotel to pay Lm1,300 to a chambermaid after it ruled that she had been illegally dismissed while she was out on injury leave.

Carmen Borg filed a case before the Industrial Tribunal, chaired by Harold Walls, after the hotel terminated her employment while she was out on injury leave.

The tribunal heard how she had been working as a chambermaid with the hotel since 1977 and that she injured her back while at work in February 2003.

Ms Borg explained that she had suffered serious injuries and eventually underwent a serious operation.

She said that even though she had tried to go to work after the accident, she had to go out again on sick leave because of the pain.

However, she added, once her sick leave expired she was given half-pay and, when that eventually expired, she was dismissed in April 2003.

In handing down its ruling, the tribunal noted that since Ms Borg was injured at work she should not have been placed on sick leave but on injury leave.

As a result, the tribunal ruled, since her employment was terminated while she was on sick leave, when she was meant to be on injury leave, the termination was illegal.

Although Mr Walls did not rule that Ms Borg should be given back her job, he ordered Ramla Garden Hotel to pay her Lm1,300 in compensation.

Dr Anglu Farrugia appeared for Ms Borg while Dr Paul Gauci Maistre represented the hotel.