Peggy Smith

The parties reached a consent agreement to resolve multiple grievances concerning reporting pay, set-up and close-down time, and down time for unclassified court support staff.

The union agreed to withdraw the grievances, and the employer agreed to implement a new policy effective May 1, 2000.

The Grievance Settlement Board issued the terms as a consent order and remained seized of the matter for implementation purposes.

The complainant, a store manager at a jewellery store, was terminated shortly after informing her employer that she was pregnant and could no longer work twelve-hour shifts.

The employer demoted her to a sales associate position and subsequently terminated her employment.

The Board of Inquiry found that the demotion was a sham and that the complainant was terminated because of her pregnancy, with no effort made to accommodate her.

The respondents were ordered to pay $16,334.43 in compensation for lost wages, lost commissions, lost maternity benefits, general damages for humiliation, and interest.

The complainant, a coffee server, alleged that her employer sexually harassed her and discriminated against her based on her sexual orientation.

The respondent asked the complainant for a date and, upon learning she was a lesbian, persistently questioned her about her sexual preferences and attempted to persuade her to have a heterosexual relationship with him.

The Board of Inquiry found that the respondent's conduct constituted both sexual harassment and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation under the Human Rights Code.

Applying the Torres criteria, the Board awarded the complainant $1,500 in general damages, noting the harassment was entirely verbal and of short duration.