La Corte di Cassazione, nel confermare una sentenza della Corte di Appello di Roma, ha colto l'occasione per ribadire il proprio orientamento ormai costante in tema di esercizio da parte del datore di lavoro dello jus variandi.
Il caso sottoposto all'esame della Corte prende le mosse dal ricorso presentato da una lavoratrice per l'accertamento dell'illegittimità della intervenuta modifica in pejus delle sue mansioni. Il giudice di primo grado aveva respinto le domande, ma la decisione era stata parzialmente riformata dal giudice d'appello, il quale, dichiarando l'illegittimità del comportamento denunciato, aveva sancito il diritto della lavoratrice ad essere reintegrata nelle mansioni precedentemente svolte ovvero in altre ad esse equivalenti.
La sentenza offre lo spunto per alcune brevi note.
In ordine alle mansioni l'art. 2103 c.c. (come modificato dall'art. 13, L. 300/1970) provides that "the employee must be engaged in tasks for which they were hired or those corresponding to the category that has subsequently acquired a job that is actually equivalent to the last place without any loss of pay. (...) Any agreement to the contrary is void. "
Article. 96 disp. att. Code, then, establishes an obligation for the employer to inform the employee, at the time of the category and position assigned to him in relation to the tasks for which it was taken, within thirty days from the date of hire (ex art. 1, para. 1, Leg. 152/1997). What is decisive is therefore
the principle of 'contractual duties that are the subject of job performance and therefore must be determined or determinable pursuant to art. 1346 cc, at the moment.
During the course of performance, the employer may, for organizational or corporate restructuring (see Cass. Ss.uu. August 7, 1998, No. 7755) amend the worker's duties in work of equal value, provided that , it is reaffirmed in ruling that record, this is done in accordance with "as defined objective, represented by membership of both types of task, origin and destination, the same level of contractual status," and that the tasks assigned to allow "the use or the improvement and growth of the kit of experience, knowledge and expertise acquired during the previous report."
Thus, as in doctrine (see Law, Commentary, directed by F. Carinci, II, 2007) the criterion of equivalence is a relationship between tasks of origin, that actually performed the duties and tasks of the last destination.
principle on which to anchor the proceedings is the professional dignity of the worker, the professionalism that the case is in the right to retain and to increasing kit of ideas and experience gained by the worker in the past phase ratio (Court of Cassation, sez. lav., June 11, 2003, n. 9408).
The concept of professionalism, there are two theories. According to traditional theory
professionalism must be understood in a static sense, as previous professional, the "know how" (see Law, Commentary, directed by F. Carinci, II, 2007), thereby protecting the skills acquired and "preventing the downgrading or mortification "(Cass. ss.uu. August 7, 1998, No 7755), with the effect of stiffening the concept of equivalence and thus restricting the area of \u200b\u200bhorizontal mobility.
In this sense, the tasks assigned must be placed in the same level di inquadramento contrattuale o nella stessa area professionale (criterio oggettivo, Cass. 5 aprile 1984, n. 2231), ovvero debbono essere omogenee secondo una continuità ed assimilabilità dei contenuti professionali (criterio soggettivo, Cass. 17 giugno 1983, n. 4189)
Secondo altro indirizzo, la professionalità va intesa in senso dinamico, come professionalità in trasformazione, del “saper come fare” (cfr. Diritto del Lavoro, Commentario diretto da F. Carinci, II, 2007), con ciò ridimensionandosi il ruolo della professionalità acquisita e valorizzandosi invece la capacità professionale potenziale del lavoratore.
L'equivalenza delle mansioni dunque “va verificata both in terms of objective, namely in relation to the inclusion in the same area of \u200b\u200bwork and pay initial tasks and those of destination, both from the subjective, which means the affinity of professional duties, in the sense that the new should blend in with the skills acquired by the person during the employment relationship, allowing further refinements and developments. Once these conditions being met, the exercise of "ius variandi" does not require the identification of tasks, nor is it hindered by the need for retraining in relation to technological innovations, or by the fact that new tasks should be carried out in a different area of \u200b\u200bthe complex corporate structure and is subject to a work organization conceived in a manner different from that which characterized the earlier work "(Cass. February 15, 2003, n. 2328).
Therefore, in assessing the equivalence is not sufficient to verify that new functions are included in the contract level in which the employee is classified, it is necessary also to verify the equivalence of these tasks in practice with those previously assigned, like the content, nature and manner of performing the same, given that this equivalence requires that the new duties, although not identical to those previously carried out, match the technical skills of the employee, will safeguard the professional level, not by industry or otherwise damaging socially, and are such as to allow the use of the wealth of work experience gained in the previous phase of the relationship , so that there is a breach of Article. 2103 cc in case of new tasks, although included in the level - or category - contract already awarded to the employee, resulting in a lesion of his right to maintain and improve professional competence or experience, or to affect its gradual advancement in the hierarchy of the industry " (Cass. July 17, 1998, n. 7040). The flexible concept
for work of equal value and therefore to safeguard the professionalism trend was recently endorsed by the United Sections with the decree of 24 November 2006, n. 25033 and later by Cass. March 8, 2007, No 5285 and cass. April 5, 2007, No 8596.
On this strand is also part of the sentence in comment.
According to the writer's other notable aspect of the decision under review concerns the appraisal of the invalidity of the application except in cases provided for in art. No 414 3:04 Civil Code.
As reiterated by the Supreme Court of the same college, "rite of work in the evaluation of invalidity of the application of first instance for failing to determine the subject of the application o per mancata esposizione degli elementi di fatto e delle ragioni di diritto su cui essa si fonda, ravvisabile solo quando attraverso l'esame complessivo dell'atto risulti impossibile l'individuazione esatta della pretesa del ricorrente ed il resistente non possa apprestare una compiuta difesa, implica un'interpretazione dell'atto introduttivo della controversia riservata al giudice di merito, censurabile in sede di legittimità solo per vizi di motivazione, il che comporta l'esame non del ricorso introduttivo ma delle ragioni esposte nella sentenza impugnata per affermare che il ricorso stesso sia o meno affetto dal vizio denunciato. (Nella specie, la S.C. ha confermato, rilevandone l'adeguatezza e la logicità della motivazione, la sentenza impugnata con la quale era stato respinto l'appello avverso la decisione di primo grado affermativa della nullità del ricorso introduttivo, il quale conteneva una domanda di pagamento di retribuzione fondata sul presupposto della sussistenza di un'intermediazione di manodopera, senza che, però, di essa fossero stati specificati gli elementi costitutivi e, in particolare, allegata la presenza di una subordinazione in senso tecnico coincidente con la cosiddetta condizione di una "doppia alienità"” (Cass. 16 gennaio 2007, n. 820; conformi: Cass. 17 marzo 2005, n. 5879).
Infatti : “la nullità della citazione (o del ricorso introduttivo di una controversia di lavoro) per omessa determinazione dell’oggetto della domanda requires the complete omission or absolute uncertainty "petitum" understood in terms of formal court action sought, and in fact the good of life which demand recognition. This is not the case when the identification of the "relief sought by" so understood it is still possible through a comprehensive review of the application of discretion, not limited to that portion of it to contain the conclusions, but also extended to the exhibition, providing its appreciation of a finding of fact reserved for the trial court, and not open to criticism in the fairness and legitimacy if properly motivated "(Cass March 7, 2006, No 4828) Therefore, the worker who is acting steps to obtain the classification in a higher qualification has the burden of trying to attach, and the elements forming the basis of demand and, in particular, must indicate clearly what are the profiles characterizing the duties of that position, also making comparisons specifically with those for the tasks put forward by him to have actually done. (In this case, the SC has upheld the appeal that had rejected the claim made by an employee of a bank in order to obtain the grade as a grade IV F2, because they had failed to indicate in their application the elements that characterize the status above also fails to make the comparison between the typical tasks of of the latter and job done (Cass May 21, 2003, n. 8025).
Civil Cassation, sez. work, Case No. 24 293 09/29/2008
Il caso sottoposto all'esame della Corte prende le mosse dal ricorso presentato da una lavoratrice per l'accertamento dell'illegittimità della intervenuta modifica in pejus delle sue mansioni. Il giudice di primo grado aveva respinto le domande, ma la decisione era stata parzialmente riformata dal giudice d'appello, il quale, dichiarando l'illegittimità del comportamento denunciato, aveva sancito il diritto della lavoratrice ad essere reintegrata nelle mansioni precedentemente svolte ovvero in altre ad esse equivalenti.
La sentenza offre lo spunto per alcune brevi note.
In ordine alle mansioni l'art. 2103 c.c. (come modificato dall'art. 13, L. 300/1970) provides that "the employee must be engaged in tasks for which they were hired or those corresponding to the category that has subsequently acquired a job that is actually equivalent to the last place without any loss of pay. (...) Any agreement to the contrary is void. "
Article. 96 disp. att. Code, then, establishes an obligation for the employer to inform the employee, at the time of the category and position assigned to him in relation to the tasks for which it was taken, within thirty days from the date of hire (ex art. 1, para. 1, Leg. 152/1997). What is decisive is therefore
the principle of 'contractual duties that are the subject of job performance and therefore must be determined or determinable pursuant to art. 1346 cc, at the moment.
During the course of performance, the employer may, for organizational or corporate restructuring (see Cass. Ss.uu. August 7, 1998, No. 7755) amend the worker's duties in work of equal value, provided that , it is reaffirmed in ruling that record, this is done in accordance with "as defined objective, represented by membership of both types of task, origin and destination, the same level of contractual status," and that the tasks assigned to allow "the use or the improvement and growth of the kit of experience, knowledge and expertise acquired during the previous report."
Thus, as in doctrine (see Law, Commentary, directed by F. Carinci, II, 2007) the criterion of equivalence is a relationship between tasks of origin, that actually performed the duties and tasks of the last destination.
principle on which to anchor the proceedings is the professional dignity of the worker, the professionalism that the case is in the right to retain and to increasing kit of ideas and experience gained by the worker in the past phase ratio (Court of Cassation, sez. lav., June 11, 2003, n. 9408).
The concept of professionalism, there are two theories. According to traditional theory
professionalism must be understood in a static sense, as previous professional, the "know how" (see Law, Commentary, directed by F. Carinci, II, 2007), thereby protecting the skills acquired and "preventing the downgrading or mortification "(Cass. ss.uu. August 7, 1998, No 7755), with the effect of stiffening the concept of equivalence and thus restricting the area of \u200b\u200bhorizontal mobility.
In this sense, the tasks assigned must be placed in the same level di inquadramento contrattuale o nella stessa area professionale (criterio oggettivo, Cass. 5 aprile 1984, n. 2231), ovvero debbono essere omogenee secondo una continuità ed assimilabilità dei contenuti professionali (criterio soggettivo, Cass. 17 giugno 1983, n. 4189)
Secondo altro indirizzo, la professionalità va intesa in senso dinamico, come professionalità in trasformazione, del “saper come fare” (cfr. Diritto del Lavoro, Commentario diretto da F. Carinci, II, 2007), con ciò ridimensionandosi il ruolo della professionalità acquisita e valorizzandosi invece la capacità professionale potenziale del lavoratore.
L'equivalenza delle mansioni dunque “va verificata both in terms of objective, namely in relation to the inclusion in the same area of \u200b\u200bwork and pay initial tasks and those of destination, both from the subjective, which means the affinity of professional duties, in the sense that the new should blend in with the skills acquired by the person during the employment relationship, allowing further refinements and developments. Once these conditions being met, the exercise of "ius variandi" does not require the identification of tasks, nor is it hindered by the need for retraining in relation to technological innovations, or by the fact that new tasks should be carried out in a different area of \u200b\u200bthe complex corporate structure and is subject to a work organization conceived in a manner different from that which characterized the earlier work "(Cass. February 15, 2003, n. 2328).
Therefore, in assessing the equivalence is not sufficient to verify that new functions are included in the contract level in which the employee is classified, it is necessary also to verify the equivalence of these tasks in practice with those previously assigned, like the content, nature and manner of performing the same, given that this equivalence requires that the new duties, although not identical to those previously carried out, match the technical skills of the employee, will safeguard the professional level, not by industry or otherwise damaging socially, and are such as to allow the use of the wealth of work experience gained in the previous phase of the relationship , so that there is a breach of Article. 2103 cc in case of new tasks, although included in the level - or category - contract already awarded to the employee, resulting in a lesion of his right to maintain and improve professional competence or experience, or to affect its gradual advancement in the hierarchy of the industry " (Cass. July 17, 1998, n. 7040). The flexible concept
for work of equal value and therefore to safeguard the professionalism trend was recently endorsed by the United Sections with the decree of 24 November 2006, n. 25033 and later by Cass. March 8, 2007, No 5285 and cass. April 5, 2007, No 8596.
On this strand is also part of the sentence in comment.
According to the writer's other notable aspect of the decision under review concerns the appraisal of the invalidity of the application except in cases provided for in art. No 414 3:04 Civil Code.
As reiterated by the Supreme Court of the same college, "rite of work in the evaluation of invalidity of the application of first instance for failing to determine the subject of the application o per mancata esposizione degli elementi di fatto e delle ragioni di diritto su cui essa si fonda, ravvisabile solo quando attraverso l'esame complessivo dell'atto risulti impossibile l'individuazione esatta della pretesa del ricorrente ed il resistente non possa apprestare una compiuta difesa, implica un'interpretazione dell'atto introduttivo della controversia riservata al giudice di merito, censurabile in sede di legittimità solo per vizi di motivazione, il che comporta l'esame non del ricorso introduttivo ma delle ragioni esposte nella sentenza impugnata per affermare che il ricorso stesso sia o meno affetto dal vizio denunciato. (Nella specie, la S.C. ha confermato, rilevandone l'adeguatezza e la logicità della motivazione, la sentenza impugnata con la quale era stato respinto l'appello avverso la decisione di primo grado affermativa della nullità del ricorso introduttivo, il quale conteneva una domanda di pagamento di retribuzione fondata sul presupposto della sussistenza di un'intermediazione di manodopera, senza che, però, di essa fossero stati specificati gli elementi costitutivi e, in particolare, allegata la presenza di una subordinazione in senso tecnico coincidente con la cosiddetta condizione di una "doppia alienità"” (Cass. 16 gennaio 2007, n. 820; conformi: Cass. 17 marzo 2005, n. 5879).
Infatti : “la nullità della citazione (o del ricorso introduttivo di una controversia di lavoro) per omessa determinazione dell’oggetto della domanda requires the complete omission or absolute uncertainty "petitum" understood in terms of formal court action sought, and in fact the good of life which demand recognition. This is not the case when the identification of the "relief sought by" so understood it is still possible through a comprehensive review of the application of discretion, not limited to that portion of it to contain the conclusions, but also extended to the exhibition, providing its appreciation of a finding of fact reserved for the trial court, and not open to criticism in the fairness and legitimacy if properly motivated "(Cass March 7, 2006, No 4828) Therefore, the worker who is acting steps to obtain the classification in a higher qualification has the burden of trying to attach, and the elements forming the basis of demand and, in particular, must indicate clearly what are the profiles characterizing the duties of that position, also making comparisons specifically with those for the tasks put forward by him to have actually done. (In this case, the SC has upheld the appeal that had rejected the claim made by an employee of a bank in order to obtain the grade as a grade IV F2, because they had failed to indicate in their application the elements that characterize the status above also fails to make the comparison between the typical tasks of of the latter and job done (Cass May 21, 2003, n. 8025).
Civil Cassation, sez. work, Case No. 24 293 09/29/2008
(from American Lawyer Media, October 21, 2008)
