Doctor discriminated against medical secretary by terminating her employment based on an incorrect assumption about her epilepsy.
The complainant was hired as a medical secretary but was dismissed after two and a half days when the respondent doctor concluded she suffered from grand mal seizures due to her epilepsy.
The respondent believed she would be unable to handle emergency situations.
The Board of Inquiry found that the respondent failed to take reasonable steps to determine the complainant's actual medical condition, which involved only simple partial seizures that did not affect her work.
The respondent could not rely on the bona fide occupational qualification defence under section 17 of the Human Rights Code.
The Board ordered the respondent to pay $1,080 in special damages and $2,000 in general damages for the wilful infringement of the complainant's rights.
Allan v. Singh, 1993 CanLII 16440 (ON HRT)
