MONROVIA – The Ministry of Labor has ruled in favor of Levi Zansi, former manager of SI Bank Liberia’s Ganta branch, finding that his dismissal by the bank was wrongful and ordering either his reinstatement or payment of over $10,000 in compensation.
After an eight-month hearing, Labor Ministry Hearing Officer Cyrus Wehyee concluded that Zansi’s decision to share his password with a colleague did not justify immediate termination under the Decent Work Act. SI Bank had argued that Zansi violated internal policies, which led to his dismissal. However, the bank’s internal audit found no financial loss or evidence of illegal activity connected to Zansi’s actions.
Zansi told the hearing officer that he shared the password due to limited staffing and long customer lines. According to his testimony, the bank had opened three payment windows but assigned only one teller to manage them all. He explained that sharing his password was necessary to ensure smooth operations, particularly when he had to leave the branch to source cash.
While the Ministry recognized that Zansi’s action technically breached bank policy, it determined that the conduct did not meet the threshold for dismissal, as no harm or financial loss occurred. The ruling stated that Zansi acted in good faith and ordered his reinstatement with full back pay for 14 months, totaling $10,248. The bank may alternatively pay him the amount in lieu of reinstatement.
SI Bank Liberia has 30 days to appeal the decision to the National Labor Court. Zansi was represented by Attorney Samwar Fallah, while the bank’s in-house counsel, Cllr. Lorpu Zawu, represented the institution during the hearing.
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