BP Employee Fights "Non-Active" Status Amid Million-Euro Contract Dispute

What Happened

A junior planner at BP Raffinaderij has been placed on non-active status and is currently unable to return to his position, a decision upheld by a court. This action followed an internal integrity investigation that uncovered potential conflicts of interest and other irregularities.

The employee, who joined BP in February 2023, co-owns a company that provides technical and petrochemical personnel. This company became a supplier to BP in June 2024, subsequently generating over one million euros in revenue from the refinery. BP alleges that the employee failed to timely disclose his business interests and his connections with his direct supervisor.

Further allegations by BP include the supervisor providing the employee with competitor information and facilitating lower rates for the employee's company compared to competitors. The investigation also examined a 6% markup on an invoice paid through the employee's company, costing BP 636.27 euros, and a 2,500 euro claim for an education completed over a year before his employment began. BP stated that the employee's actions irreparably damaged trust and sought to terminate his employment.

Key Facts

• A junior planner at BP Raffinaderij was placed on non-active status following an integrity investigation.
• The employee co-owns a company that supplied personnel to BP and earned over one million euros.
• BP alleges the employee failed to disclose business interests and his connection to his supervisor.
• The investigation also looked into a 6% markup on an invoice and a claim for an out-of-time education.
• A court denied the employee's request to return to work, finding it likely that conflicts of interest were not reported.
• The employee was ordered to pay 2,101 euros in legal costs.

Background

BP cited that its planner role requires independent and ethical conduct in operational and financial processes. The court determined that the employer's interests outweighed the employee's in this context. BP has initiated a separate legal procedure to dissolve the employment contract.