SO IT GOES

Sándor Striker's employment case against the Eötvös Loránd University was terminated by an appeal court decision. In 2016, Striker initiated the procedure as an associate professor of the Faculty of Pedagogy and Psychology of ELTE, because the Faculty did not lawfully change his classification, failing to provide the related wage increase as well.

At the same time, ELTE “did not find" part of the documents submitted by the university professor in order to obtain a degree of habilitation during the habilitation procedure that he had launched more than a year earlier. Striker’s complaints regarding the overdue execution of the habilitation were dismissed by the Faculty as well as the Rector regardless of the fact that the deadlines for such procedures are set by government decree. After two and a half years, the court proceedings settled the case. The cultural theory specialist, however, received his letter of resignation signed by Barna Mezey, then Rector, and by Dean Zsolt Demetrovics, terminating his public service employment during the trial period. However, ELTE PPK issued this document incorrectly by annulling the habilitation title – and the wage category coming with it – acquired in the meantime, although, as the court ordering the correction found, Striker “could have expected the recognition of the importance of this title from the scientific and educational institution employing him until then.”

In addition to the unpaid salary, the court set a 1.5 million Forints grievance fee, partly for compensation purposes, and partly because it considered that such a judgment is to have a "preventive function against similar violations."

Following the final verdict, the University paid the wages and damages originated at the Faculty of Education and Psychology.