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Home My WebLink AboutDon 13-11-27IntheMatterofanArbitration BETWEEN CentralWestSpecializedDevelopmentalServices (TheEmpLoyer) And OPSEULocal249 (TheUnion) GrievanceofIrinaDon Arbitrator:BarryB.Fisher CounselfortheEmployer:ChantelGoldsmith CounselfortheUnion:RobinLostracco HearingheldinOakvilleOntarioonNovember15,2013 AWARD ThiscaseinvolvesanallegationthattheEmployerfailedtoproperlyaccommodate theGrievoruponherreturntoworkfromasickleave.Thedisputeiswhetherthe Grievorshouldhavebeenreturnedtoherfulltimedutiesasshedesiredorwhether sheshouldcomebackonagradualbasiswithreducedhoursoveraperiodoftime. FactualSummary Therelevantfactsareasfollows: 1)TheGrievorhasbeenanemployeesinceMarch2004inthepositionof ResidentialSupportWorker. 2) 3) TheGrievorwentoffworkonSeptember28,2012foranon-workrelated injurytoherrightknee,AtthattimeshewasworkinginHouse1, OnOctober30,2012shereturnedtoworkwithmodifications,pendingaMRI shehadscheduledforDecember.Hermodifications,asapprovedby Monarca,theEmployersthirdpartydisabilityconsultant,were:"avoid squattingandkneeling:avoidprolongedstandinganprolongedwalking, avoidheavylifting,shouldworkatherownpace,shouldbeallowedbreaks asrequired."AtthattimeshewasputintoHouse6asshecouldnotperform thediaperingfunctionrequiredinHouse1. 6) 7) s) 4)Abouttwoweekslater,TheGrievorwaspresentwhenaclientwasinvolved inaviolentincident.TheGrievorfeltthatshewasatriskasshecouldnot escapefastenoughfromafutureviolentincident.Shethereforewentbackon sickleave.Thedoctoraddedanewrestrictionthatsheshouldnotworkwith highfunctioningclients(meaningpotentiallyviolentclients).These restrictionswereexpectedtolastuntilDecember28,2012. ShehadtheMRIinDecemberbutwhenshewenttoherdoctoronDecember 28,2012thedoctorhadnotreceivedtheMRIreport.Thedoctorrestatedthe physicalrestrictionssetoutabovebutalsosaidthatthedateuponwhichshe couldreturntoherregularduties,notmodifiedduties,wasnowJanuaryS, 2013.Theonlycontinuingrestrictionwasthatsheshouldavoidbehavior responsecallsuntilfurthernotice. TheEmployerfirstreceivedalistoftheserestrictionsonJanuary7,2013. TheGrievorsentitlementtoSTDpaymentsexpiredonJanuary10,2013. 8)OnJanuary10,2013MonarcasenttheEmployeranemailasfollows: Wejustreceivedclearanceforlrina.Therehasbeensignificantimprovementand nofurthermedicalinvestigations.,4continuedtreatmentplanhasbeenrecommendedfor IrinabyherMD.Pleasecontactherandletherknowher RTW. 9)OnJanuary16,2013aRTWmeetingwassetupbetweentheGrievor,theUnion andtheEmployer.Theplan,preparedbytheEmployer,setouttheTransitional WorkPlanistoreducethehoursforthenextsixweeks.Laterthatdaythe Grievorsentaletterofprotesttoseniormanagementindicatingthat asherdoctorhasclearedhertoreturntofulltimehours,shewasunhappyaboutbeingforced toworkreducedhours. 10)AfterasubsequentmeetingwiththeGrievor,thedateforherreturntofullhours wasmovedupsomewhat. SusanScott,HumanResourcesManager,testifiedfortheEmployer.SheindicatedthattherebeenaconsistentpracticesinceshejoinedtheEmployeroverSyearsago,thatwheneveranemployeewasoffonSTDforthemaximumof15weeks,theyarealwaysputonagraduatedreturntoworkschedule.TheEmployerdoesthisontheirowninitiative,regardlessoftheadviceofeithertheemployee'sdoctorortheirowndisability consultant.NooneintheHRdepartmenthasanymedicaltrainingalthoughMs.Scotthasexperienceofover30yearsindisabilitymanagement.SheindicatedthattheyleftmessageswithMonarcaaboutwhytheydidnotrecommendagradualreturntowork,butMonarcaneverreturnedtheircalls.WhenaskedwhytheEmployerrequiredagraduatedreturntoworkinthiscase,Ms.ScottsaidthattheydidsotoinsurethehealthandsafetyoftheGrievor,otheremployeesandtheirclients.Shealsoreiteratedthateachcasewaslookedatforitsindividual merits,althoughonnooccasionhastheEmployerevernotrequiredagraduatedreturntoworkwheretheemployeehastakenthefull1SweeksofSTD.Ms.Scottalsoadmittedthatthepolicyofrequiringagraduatedreturntoworkafter15weeksofSTDis notcontainedwithinanypublishedpolicy. Ms.ScottsaidthatinthiscaseshedidconsidertheEmployer'srightunderArticle13.01toobtainaIMEtoseeifagraduatedreturntoworkwasrequired,butsheand herteamrejectedtheoption. WhenaskedbytheArbitratorwhethertherewouldbeanycircumstancesunderwhich apersonreturnedtoworkafter15weekswouldbereturnedtofullhours,sherespondedthat"giventhedurationoftheabsence,wealwaysimposeagraduated returntowork". 3 RelevantArticlesoftheCollectiveAgreement: Article3-ManagementRights: 3.01...theUnionacknowledgesthatitistheexclusivefunctionoftheEmployerto....generallytomanageandoperatetheOrganizationinallrespectsinaccordancewithitsobligations.3,03Theserightsshallnotexercisedinamannerinconsistentwiththeprovisionsof thisAgreement Article4-NoDiscrimination4.03TheEmployerrecognizesitsdutytoaccommodateEmployee'sundertheOntario HumanRightsCode. Article13-SickLeavePlan 13.01AnEmployee'sreturntoworkafl:ersickleaveofthree(3)workingdaysormorewillbeconditionaluponhissupplyingtohissupervisoracertificatefromophysicianthatherecoveredfrom thesicknesswhichcausedtheabsence,Thiscertificateshallsetoutthelengthoftheillnessand/oranyhospitalizationaswell astheprognosisforrecovery.WheneveranEmployeeisoffworkfordurationduetoillnessorinjuryhemayberequiredpriortohisreturntoworktoattendanexaminationbyaDoctordesignatedbytheEmployerforwhichexaminationtheEmployerwillbearthecost. Analysis1havenohesitationinfindingthattheEmployers'practiceasappliedinthiscaseofrequiringtheGriever togothroughagraduatedreturntoworkwhenoneisnotrequired byeitherthemedicalprofessionalsnorthedisabilityclaimsmanagerviolatestheOntarioHumanRightsCodeandthereforethisCollectiveAgreement, Myreasonsareasfollows:1)Thedecisiontodeterminetheextentof"workhardening"throughtheregulationofhoursthattheemployeecansafelyworkisaonethatmustbemade withpropermedicalinput.Thisisnotadecisionthatcanbemadewithoutregardtothemedicalinformation.Neitherofthepartieswhohadamedical background,namelythedoctorandthedisabilityclaimsmanagementadvisor,gaveanyindicationthattileGrievorcouldorshould 4 notimmediatelyreturntoherfullhours.TheonlyrestrictionontheGrievors'returntoworkwasthatshewastoavoidrespondingtobehavioralemergencies.Thisrestrictionisunrelatedtothenumberofhoursworkedand infacthascontinuedthroughouttheperiodsincetheGrievorhasreturnedtoworkfulltimehours.Humanresourcesstaffwithnomedical trainingmadethisdecision. 2)Thedutytoaccommodateisanindividualizedprocessandthereforerigidrules appliedacrosstheboardinallsituationscompletelycontradictstheconcept ofindividualassessment.Therequirementthatallemployeesreturning from15weekofsickleavemustgothroughagraduatedreturntowork istheoppositeofanindividualizedanalysisrequiredbytheOntario HumanRightsCode. 3)Theeffectofsucharuleisthatanemployeewouldbediscouragedfromutilizing abenefitundertheCollectiveAgreement(paidsickleave),infearthat theywouldbe"punished"whentheyreturnedtoworkbysufferingawage lossduetoreducedhours.Theemployeehastherighttoproperlyusethe sickleaveplanandalsobeentitledtoworktheirfulltimehourswhenthey recover.Theexerciseofonecollectiveagreementrightdoesnotdiminish therighttoexerciseanothercollectiveagreementright. 4)TheEmployernegotiatedaveryeffectivemechanisminArticle13.01toinsure thatanemployeereturningtoworkisactuallyfitinthattheycanorder anIndependentMedicalExamanytimeanemployeereturnsfromsickleave,nomatterhowshortorlongthatleavemaybe.Thisshouldbeaverygood mechanismtoinsurethat,asSusanScotttestified,thereturningemployee isnotasafetyconcerntoherself,herco-workersortheclients. Remedy ThepartiesagreethattheGrievorlost62hoursasaresultofnotbeingreturnedtofullhoursimmediately.Iawardthe6rievor62hourspay. UnderSection46(1)oftheOntarioHumanRightsCode,Ihavethepowertoissuean order: "directingthepartywhoinfringedtilerighttopaymonetarycompensationtotheparty whoserightwasinfringedforlossarisingoutoftheinfringement,includingcompensation forinjurytodignity,feelingsandself-respect." TheGrievorsaidinherlettertoseniormanagementonJanuary16,2013whensheprotestedthegraduatedreturntoworkexpressedthattheactionsofheremployermade her"feelveryunhappywithhowIwastreated"and"Ifinditunfairandvery problematictobecut-offwork,withoutanyincome"and"1feelthatIambeing eitherpunished(formytimeoff)orbeingdiscriminatedagainst." InthesecaseIthinkthattheGrievorisentitledtoamodestawardof$1,000general damagesascompensationforinjurytoherdignity,feelingsandselfworth. 1ammakingthisawardatthemodestendofthescaleinpartbecauseIamvery confidantthattheEmployerwillimmediatelychangeitspriorpracticeandno longerimposeagraduatedreturntoworkscheduleonemployeeswhohavesimply remainedoffworkfortheentireSTDperiod. Iretainjurisdictionoveranymatterregardingtheinterpretationorapplicationof thisaward. DatedatTorontothis27thdayofNovember2013 6