Canary Islands Court Upholds Firing of Funeral Worker Over Body Swap Error

The High Court of Justice of the Canary Islands has set a major precedent for the funeral industry by upholding the firing of an employee who mixed up two bodies during transport. The court ruled that the company was right to treat the mistake as a serious disciplinary offense, noting that the worker failed to meet the basic standards of care required for such sensitive work.

The incident occurred in late 2023 while a driver was transporting a body from the Hospital de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria to a facility in Güímar. The driver skipped the required identity verification protocol, claiming that the family members at the wake did not want to view the body. This error led to the bodies being swapped, requiring an emergency trip to Guía de Isora to fix the mistake and causing significant distress to the families involved.

The legal dispute focused on whether firing the employee was too harsh. The worker argued for a lighter penalty, such as a temporary suspension, claiming he had relied on a colleague’s previous work and the family’s reluctance to identify the deceased. However, the funeral home stood by its zero-tolerance policy. The company emphasized that verifying identities—through wristbands, official documentation, and family recognition—is the foundation of its ethical and operational standards.

This ruling highlights how critical safety protocols are in the funeral industry, where quality of care is both a legal and moral obligation. The court’s decision confirms that in a profession where mistakes cause irreparable harm to families and the dignity of the deceased, failing to follow verification procedures is grounds for termination, as it destroys the trust necessary to perform the job.