Forged Medical Certificate Leads to Carpenter’s Unfair Dismissal Claim Failing

The Fair Work Commission has reinforced the seriousness of workplace dishonesty in a recent ruling, siding with an employer who dismissed a carpenter accused of providing forged medical certificates.

In Jayden Bell-Inskip v The Trustee for Belli Trust t/a True Line Cladding [2025] FWC 2531, the Commission found that the employer, True Line Cladding, had acted consistently with the Small Business Fair Dismissal Code when it summarily dismissed the worker for serious misconduct.

Forged Medical Certificate Leads to Carpenter’s Unfair Dismissal Claim Failing

The Background

The carpenter was already under scrutiny for alleged misuse of company resources, including fuel cards, e-tags, and a company vehicle. When he later failed to attend work and submitted a doctor’s certificate claiming unfitness for duty, the employer noticed something was amiss.

On closer inspection, the certificate appeared identical to one previously submitted earlier in the year — down to formatting errors and an incorrect clinic address. The supposed clinic later confirmed it had never issued the certificates and had no record of the worker attending.

Faced with evidence of not one but two fraudulent certificates, the employer concluded that the carpenter had attempted to mislead the company and dismissed him immediately without notice or pay.

The Commission’s Decision

The worker denied forging the certificates but was unable to provide a credible explanation for the inconsistencies. Commissioner Ben Redford accepted that the employer had held a genuine belief, based on reasonable grounds, that the certificates were falsified.

Because dishonesty of this kind strikes at the heart of the employment relationship, the Commission found the dismissal was justified. The employer had acted in line with the Small Business Code and the termination was not unfair.

Key Takeaways for Employers and Employees

• Dishonesty is serious misconduct: The case highlights that falsifying or submitting forged documents is grounds for immediate dismissal.

• Small Business Code protection: Employers who follow the Code and act reasonably in forming their belief of misconduct are strongly protected against unfair dismissal claims.

• Credibility matters: An employee’s inability to provide consistent or plausible explanations for disputed conduct can weigh heavily against them.

• Trust is central: The employment relationship depends on trust and honesty. Once breached, reinstatement or compensation becomes highly unlikely.

This decision is a stark reminder: providing false documentation to an employer not only undermines trust but can end a career in an instant.