HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-2375.Ranger.05-07-29 Decision
Crown Employees Commission de ~~
Grievance Settlement reglement des griefs
Board des employes de la
Couronne
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GSB# 2002-2375
UNION#2002-0411-0038
IN THE MATTER OF AN ARBITRATION
Under
THE CROWN EMPLOYEES COLLECTIVE BARGAINING ACT
Before
THE GRIEVANCE SETTLEMENT BOARD
BETWEEN
Ontano PublIc ServIce Employees Umon
(Ranger) Union
- and -
The Crown In RIght of Ontano
(Mimstry of Commumty Safety and CorrectIOnal ServIces) Employer
BEFORE Deborah lD LeIghton Vice-Chair
FOR THE UNION GavIn Leeb
BarrIster and SOlICItor
FOR THE EMPLOYER F enna MurJ I
Counsel
Management Board Secretanat
HEARING January 26 and May 13 2005
2
DeCISIon
In hIS gnevance dated December 19 2002, Robert Ranger a CorrectIOnal Officer alleges that
the employer has breached the collectIve agreement by condomng dIrect dISCnmInatIOn by
fellow employees and managers, whIch has created a pOIsoned work envIronment for hIm at
Ottawa-Carleton DetentIOn Centre He alleges further that thIS pOIsoned envIronment has caused
hIm to suffer harassment and dISCnmInatIOn because of hIS sexual on entatIOn. A second
gnevance dated June 18 2004 allegIng that the employer has faIled to accommodate Mr Ranger
was consolIdated on the first day of the heanng Into the ments of thIS case
ThIS decIsIOn addresses a motIOn by the employer to exclude eVIdence of events, whIch occurred
pnor to Minutes of Settlement dated June 22, 1998 sIgned pursuant to earlIer gnevances The
motIOn was argued on January 26 2005 and the board receIved addItIOnal submIssIOns from the
partIes on March 1 2005 March 4 2005 and March 15 2005
ThIS decIsIOn also addresses a motIOn by the umon seekIng that the employer be ordered to
comply wIth an Intenm relIef order made October 6 2004 whIch was argued on May 13 2005
THE EMPLOYER'S MOTION TO EXCLUDE EVIDENCE
The umon seeks to adduce eVIdence of the gnevor's employment hIStOry when he worked at the
L'Ongnal JaIl ThIS Includes eVIdence that the gnevor was absent from June 1996 to January
1997 and from May 1997 to November 28 1997 and why the absences occurred. The essence of
the proposed eVIdence IS that the gnevor expenenced harassment and dISCnmInatIOn because of
3
hIS sexual onentatIOn whIle workIng at L'Ongnal JaIl, became III and was thus absent from work
In the two pen ods of tIme noted above
Counsel for the UnIon, GavIn Leeb argued that the proposed eVIdence has two purposes In the
UnIon's case The first addresses the Impact on the gneVOf" the theory of the unIon's case IS that
the alleged harassment at OCDC the subject matter of the current case, has had a greater Impact
on the gnevor because he suffered earlIer harassment and dISCnmInatIOn at L'Ongnal JaIl The
second purpose of the proposed eVIdence relates to remedIal entItlements that the UnIon wIll
argue at the end of the day that IS, that the gnevor has a "thIn skull" and therefore should receIve
greater compensatIOn for the dISCnmInatIOn and harassment that he suffered at OCDC
Mr Leeb stated that he dId not seek to Introduce thIS eVIdence for the purposes of proVIng the
ments of the gnevances before the board. Thus the proposed eVIdence IS tendered only to
proVIde proof of the extent of the harm suffered by the gnevor and as a baSIS for the argument
for remedIal entItlements
THE EMPLOYER'S SUBMISSION
Counsel for the employer Fenna MurJI, strongly opposes the IntroductIOn of thIS eVIdence for
essentIally two reasons, that It IS excluded under Minutes of Settlement and that It IS too old.
Counsel argued that the eVIdence proposed by the UnIon could not be used for any purpose In the
present proceedIng because an earlIer gnevance, complaInIng about events at L'Ongnal JaIl, was
settled by Minutes of Settlement on June 22, 1998 Clause 2 of the Minutes of Settlement
proVIdes as follows
4
The partIes agree that these Minutes of Settlement and any consIderatIOn are
deemed to be no admIssIOn of lIabIlIty whatsoever on the part of the Crown, nor
wIll these Minutes and/or the underlYIng facts ever be referred to In any other
admInIstratIve, quasI-JudICIal or legal proceedIng.
Thus counsel argued that the partIes had agreed to settle the gnevor's complaInts whIle at
L'Ongnal JaIl by entenng Into Minutes of Settlement that expressly preclude the gnevor from
raiSIng these allegatIOns In any future proceedIng. Counsel for the employer took the posItIOn
that to allow thIS eVIdence to be Introduced now would be a clear contraventIOn of the Minutes
Ms MurJI argued that the Minutes of Settlement were clear and unambIguous, that the
underlYIng allegatIOns for the December 3 1997 gnevance and any other gnevances outstandIng
at the tIme of the Minutes of Settlement could not be used In a subsequent arbItratIOn heanng.
She argued that there were strong labour relatIOns reasons not to allow the eVIdence If the
Minutes of Settlement were not honoured, there would be a strong dISInCentIve for the employer
ever to settle agaIn. Counsel also noted that the gnevor receIved consIderatIOn under these
Minutes by way of a payment of money and a transfer to OCDC thus It would go agaInst every
contract pnncIple to allow thIS eVIdence to be presented now when there was a clear promIse
never to rely on It In the future
Counsel argued In addItIOn that the employer should not be reqUIred to defend allegatIOns that
are between nIne and seven years old. RelYIng partIcularly on the Hotel Dieu Grace Hospital
case, infra, counsel argued that arbItrators must stnke a fair balance between the concerns of
both partIes when deCIdIng how many years of eVIdence can be tendered In a case, whIch alleges
a pattern of dISCnmInatIOn over a number of years
5
Counsel argued In sum that It would not be eqUItable to reqUIre the Mimstry to defend allegatIOns
that occurred so many years ago and that were also the subJect matter of Minutes of Settlement.
Counsel concluded that the balance favoured the employer here and that the eVIdence should not
be admItted.
Counsel for the employer relIed on the folloWIng cases In support of her submIssIOn Hotel Dieu
Grace Hospital and Ontario Nurses Association (1997) 62 L AC (4th) 164 (PIcher) OPSEU
(Dale et al) and Ministry of Health and Long Term Care (2002) GSB 2000-1314 (Abramsky)
OPSEU (Waraich) andMinistlY of Labour (2004) GSB 2003-0187 (Watters) OPSEU
(Patterson) and Ministry of Public Safety and Security (2003) GSB 2001-0925 (LeIghton)
THE UNION'S SUBMISSION
Counsel for the umon argued that the eVIdence proposed was not beIng adduced to support the
ments of the current gnevances The reason for the eVIdence was to show why the gnevor's
mental state has been so adversely affected by the alleged dISCnmInatIOn and harassment at
OCDC Mr Leeb noted that a consIderable part ofa medIcal expert's eVIdence (Dr Koch) was
based on the hIStOry gIven to her by the gnevor ThIS hIStOry Included events that occurred whIle
the gnevor was at L'Ongnal JaIl It was Dr Koch's OpInIOn that the harassment at OCDC had
had a profound effect on the gnevor It was her OpInIOn that wIth each Instance of dISCnmInatIOn
and harassment the gnevor became more III Mr Leeb also argued that the eVIdence of the
events at L'Ongnal were necessary to provIde the foundatIOn for Dr Koch's expert OpInIOn,
cItIngR. v Abbey (1982) 2 S C.R. 24 at p 14
6
Counsel for the UnIon noted that the Minutes of Settlement referred to three outstandIng
gnevances IncludIng a Hammond-Mier gnevance, an L TIP gnevance and a gnevance whIch
attacked the method of InVestIgatIng the gnevor's allegatIOns Into harassment and dISCnmInatIOn
suffered at L'Ongnal JaIl Thus, counsel argued, the thIrd gnevance was merely about the
adequacy of a WDHP InVestIgatIOn report. He noted that there was no desIre to re-lItIgate the
adequacy of thIS report. The UnIon SImply wanted to submIt the report for ItS face value
In sum, counsel for the UnIon noted that thIS IS a case of first Instance before the board and that
the cases submItted by the employer are dIstIngUIshable because the dIsputed eVIdence was beIng
tendered to prove the ments In those cases The eVIdence Mr Leeb proposes to adduce goes to
the harm suffered by the gnevor and remedy He argued that the eVIdence was relevant, and that
there was no preJudIce to the employer to allow the eVIdence In.
Counsel for the UnIon relIed on the folloWIng cases In support of hIS submIssIOn UFCWand
The Comstock Funeral Home Ltd (1981) OLRB Rep Dec 1755 Upholsterers International
Union of North America (AFLCIO) and The Craftsline Industries Ltd (1977) OLRB Rep Apnl
246 IWA Canada Local 1-1000 and The Mad([l1,aska Hanbtood Flooring Inc (1995) OLRB
2761 ATU Local1l3 v Toronto Transit Commission (1993) 34 L.AC (4th) 85 (ShIme) OPSEU
(Mirosolin) and Ministry of the Attorney General (1991) GSB 1990-2054 (Venty) OPSEU
(Maghsoudi) and Ministry of Transportation (1999) GSB 0988/97 (LeIghton)
EMPLOYER'S REPLY SUBMISSION
In reply counsel for the employer argued that the UnIon IS propOSIng to Introduce eVIdence that
the gnevor was harassed and dIscnmInated at L'Ongnal JaIl, became III and, therefore, was
7
absent from work dunng the two penods IdentIfied by the umon. However Ms MUIJI noted thIS
IS exactly the allegatIOn that was addressed m the gnevance of August 28 1997 and whIch was
settled by way of Minutes of Settlement where the employer admItted no lIabIlIty for the
allegatIons Thus, she argued, there IS nothmg to establIsh that the gnevor's absences m 1996
and 1997 were dIrectly attnbutable to the Mimstry Had the gnevance proceeded to arbItratIOn
the Issue of whether the gnevor's claims of dIscnmmatIOn and harassment were legItImate would
have been adJudIcated. However there has been no determmatIOn on those Issues smce they
were resolved by Minutes of Settlement. Thus, counsel argued, It would not be appropnate or
fair to allow thIS eVIdence to be mtroduced now
Counsel also argued agamst the umon's proposal that It must call eVIdence on the events that
happened m L'Ongnal JaIl to prove the factual basIs on whIch Dr Koch relIed on m makmg her
opmIOn. Counsel noted the eVIdence that Dr Koch proVIded regardmg the gnevor's hIStOry at
L'Ongnal JaIl IS not dIrectly at Issue m the current proceedmg. She noted further that Dr
Koch's eVIdence would have to be assessed m lIght of the facts that she relIed upon m commg to
her conclUSIOns Counsel summanzed the Mimstry's posItIOn as follows
1 The gnevor's self-servmg testImony about what he allegedly suffered whIle at
L'Ongnal JaIl wIll not, m and of themselves, prove the allegatIOns
2 To allow the gnevor to proVIde testImony about L'Ongnal JaIl wIll reqUIre the
Mimstry to respond to those allegatIOns ASIde from the fact that the partIes
entered mto an agreement that was mtended to guard agamst havmg to lItIgate
the complamts, requmng the Mimstry to defend these allegatIOns now almost
eIght years later IS severely preJudICIal
3 There IS no admISSIble eVIdence that relates to the allegatIOns that stem from
the gnevor's tIme at L'Ongnal JaIl because those matters have been fully and
finally settled VIa Memorandum of Settlement and because those facts are not
at Issue m the present matter
8
In concludIng, counsel for the employer argued that the umon should not be permItted to
Introduce eVIdence of events between the penods of June 1996 to November 1998
DECISION - EMPLOYER'S MOTION TO EXCLUDE EVIDENCE
The central Issue to be decIded IS whether the eVIdence of events, whIch occurred at L'Ongnal, IS
admIsSIble In thIS heanng. The employer takes the posItIOn that the eVIdence IS not admIsSIble
because In Minutes of Settlement the gnevor bound hImself not to raise thIS eVIdence In any new
proceedIng. Also the eVIdence IS too old and It would be preJudICIal to the employer to have to
refute It so many years after the alleged events The umon' S posItIOn IS that It IS admIsSIble not
to prove the case on the ments, but for a lImIted purpose gOIng to remedy Counsel for the umon
also argued that the Minutes related to a complaInt about how a WDHP InVestIgatIOn was
conducted, not the alleged dISCnmInatIOn and harassment.
The first Issue to decIde IS whether or not the Minutes of Settlement, sIgned June 22, 1998 refer
to the gnevor's complaInts about events at L'Ongnal HavIng carefully revIewed the documents
provIded to me I have decIded that It does relate to those allegatIOns In the Minutes of
Settlement the umon agreed to wIthdraw all hIS gnevances pendIng as of the 22nd day of June
1998 One of the gnevances pendIng at that tIme was filed December 8 1997 That gnevance
stated "I gneve that the employer IS In VIOlatIOn of specIfically but not exclUSIvely ArtIcle 3
and ArtIcle 22 10 of the collectIve agreement." The settlement desIred In that gnevance stated
That I be sIgmficantly compensated for all paIn and suffenng and pumtIve
damages done as a result of the harassment and dISCnmInatIOn, for past, present
and future, that has caused mental scarrIng.
9
The Stage 2 response to thIS gnevance IndIcates that the gnevor was not happy wIth the way a
WDHP InVestIgatIOn was conducted. Although the gnevor and hIS representatIve may have been
cntIcal of the WDHP process, It IS clear that the gnevance In essence, alleges that he was
dIscnmInated and harassed at L'Ongnal ThIS IS one of the gnevances, whIch was settled by the
Minutes dated June 22, 1998
HavIng decIded that the alleged harassment and dISCnmInatIOn at L'Ongnal was the subJect
matter of the Minutes of Settlement, the next Issue IS whether the eVIdence should nevertheless
be admItted. Counsel for the umon stated that It IS beIng Introduced for a lImIted purpose, not to
prove the ments of the case before me but to support certaIn remedIal claims and, therefore the
eVIdence, whIch occurred between 1996 and 1997 should be permItted. In decIdIng cases where
the scope of the eVIdence IS an Issue thIS board has referred to Hotel Dieu Grace Hospital,
supra, as helpful See Dale et al. Waraich and Patterson (supra) In Hotel Dieu Grace
Hospital, ArbItrator PIcher Said when consIdenng the scope of eVIdence to be permItted allegIng
racIal dISCnmInatIOn "that It IS Important In thIS case to stnke a fair balance between the concerns
of both partIes"
ArbItrators must balance the umon' s need to establIsh a pattern of harassment over a number of
years agaInst the employer's need to be able to refute allegatIOns that may have occurred many
years before the gnevance ArbItrators must also balance the nght to a full and fair heanng WIth
the realIty that an over-long, and arduous heanng may not serve the partIes or procedural
fairness
10
In Dale et al. Vice-Chair Abramsky decIded to exclude eVIdence that related to earlIer settled
gnevances In balancIng the Interests of the partIes, she consIdered both the age of the
allegatIOns that were beIng put forward and the fact that the partIes had settled these earlIer
gnevances by way of Minutes of Settlement. Vice-Chair Abramsky also noted that thIS board
has consIstently recogmzed the Importance of gIVIng effect to final settlements between the
partIes She held that "Once a matter IS settled, the expectatIOn IS that the matter IS resolved and
wIll not reappear In some dIfferent gUIse"
In Waraich, Vice-Chair Watters relIed on the reasomng In Dale et al when he decIded to exclude
eVIdence that related to gnevances settled In earlIer Minutes He stated further that he reached
hIS decIsIOn "In large part, to ensure and promote the sanctIty of final settlements" In excludIng
the eVIdence, Vice-Chair Watters made It clear that It was not eVIdence as of the date of the
Minutes of Settlement, but rather It was the eVIdence alleged as the baSIS of the gnevance The
eVIdence after the gnevance was filed was admISSIble I agree that If eVIdence IS to be excluded
because the events have been the subJ ect of a settlement, then It IS the date of the gnevance
whIch provIdes the bnght lIne, not the settlement date
Umon counsel has argued that Dale et al and Waraich are dIstIngUIshable because In those cases
the eVIdence was beIng tendered to prove the ments of the later gnevance In contrast, the umon
WIshes to adduce the eVIdence for a lImIted purpose, to support the umon's theory that the
gnevor has suffered more because of the alleged harassment and dISCnmInatIOn at OCDC
because of the prevIOUS harassment and dISCnmInatIOn at L'Ongnal The trouble WIth thIS IS that
the Mimstry was not wIllIng to admIt to the allegatIOns when It sIgned the Minutes of Settlement
on June 22, 1998 and It IS not wIllIng to admIt them now In fact, the Minutes expressly deny
any admISSIOn of lIabIlIty Moreover the terms of the Minutes go beyond the usual practIce of
11
the partIes by IncludIng very strong language that no underlIng facts of the gnevances wIll ever
be "referred to In any other admInIstratIve, quasI-JudICIal or legal proceedIng."
Thus, havIng carefully consIdered thIS matter I have come to the conclusIOn that It would be
IneqUItable and preJudIcIal to the employer In thIS case to defend the allegatIOns of
dISCnmInatIOn and harassment wIth regard to L'Ongnal JaIl so long after they have occurred, but
pnmanly because they were the subJect of Minutes of Settlement. The partIes to Minutes of
Settlement must be able to rely on the terms, whIch they have negotIated In good faith. Further
It would not be fair to reqUIre an employer to preserve eVIdence Indefimtely to defend Itself
agaInst the possIbIlIty of havIng to refute allegatIOns, whIch were the subJect of Minutes of
Settlement. FInally I note that Dr Koch's eVIdence Included InfOrmatIOn from the gnevor as to
hIS expenence at L'Ongnal, whIch she relIed on In formIng her OpInIOn, and whIch was properly
admItted for that purpose and not for the truth of ItS contents
The employer's motIOn IS hereby granted and eVIdence of events at L'Ongnal before December
8 1997 the date of the gnevance IS not admIssIble
THE UNION'S MOTION FOR A COMPLIANCE ORDER
On October 6 2004 the umon's motIOn for an Intenm relIef order was granted. It proVIded In
part
The employer shall make ItS best efforts to accommodate the gnevor In a SUItable
posItIOn, conSIstent WIth the medIcal OpInIOnS proVIded, wIthIn 30 days of thIS
order If the employer IS unable to place the gnevor In a SUItable posItIOn WIthIn
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30 days, the gnevor shall be placed back on the payroll, and the employer shall
contInue to make Its best efforts to accommodate the gnevor ThIS Intenm order
shall expIre when the decIsIOn on the ments IS Issued.
The employer was unable to find a SUItable posItIOn WIthIn the 30 days and, therefore, placed the
gnevor back on the payroll On January 26 2005 a letter was sent to Mr Ranger from the
Human Resources Consultant for the Mimstry notIfYIng hIm that a temporary aSSIgnment had
been IdentIfied In the Ottawa Centre ProbatIOn and Parole Office There was a meetIng WIth the
gnevor on February 14 2005 to dISCUSS the pOSItIOn and at that tIme the Mimstry requested a
medIcal note that approved that the gnevor could return to work. The gnevor' s doctor responded
by letter March 17 2005 confirmIng that the gnevor could return to work ImmedIately and
recommendIng that he do so on a gradual baSIS He began workIng Tuesdays and Thursdays for
the first three weeks He was to contInue through the workIng hardemng three days for the next
three weeks, four days for the next three weeks, and then full-tIme thereafter
The Mimstry responded to the gnevor on March 21 2005 confirmIng receIpt of the medIcal
InfOrmatIOn and confirmIng other detaIls such as the locatIOn of the employment and the hours of
work. Thus the gnevor began work In the Ottawa Centre ProbatIOn and Parole Office In the
week of March 28 2005 Although the gnevor was workIng In the capaCIty of admInIstratIve
support, he was to remaIn beIng paid as a correctIOnal officer On Apnl 14 2005 two weeks
after returnIng to work, In a meetIng WIth the Area Manager the gnevor was Informed that he
would be paid for the days that he worked only ThIS was confirmed In wntIng on Apnl15
2005 In a letter to the gnevor SIgned by the Area Manager The reductIOn In pay WIthout notIce
to the gnevor meant he was forced to borrow money from fnends to cover hIS normal lIvIng
expenses
13
The first thIng the umon IS seekIng IS a complIance order so that the gnevor receIves full pay for
the penod of work hardemng. Mr Leeb argued that by not paYIng the gnevor full-tIme pay the
employer had breached the order of October 6 2004 In the alternatIve the umon sought an
Intenm relIef order that the gnevor be paid for 40 hours a week at the CorrectIOnal Officer rate
for the same penod of tIme of the work hardemng penod.
The umon also seeks an order requmng that the Mimstry to gIve 30 days notIce of any
contemplated change In the gnevor's employment and/or compensatIOn. The umon reserved ItS
nght to seek aggravated or pumtIve damages at the end of the case based on how the gnevor had
been treated dunng thIS work hardemng penod.
Mr Leeb argued In support of the motIOn that the October 6 order was Intended to keep the
gnevor at an appropnate pay rate In the Intenm whIle the case was beIng heard on the ments
Further the order was clear that the Mimstry was reqUIred to accommodate the gnevor Into a
sUItable posItIOn and If not wIthIn the 30 days then put hIm back on the payroll The order was
desIgned to ensure that hIS dIgmty and health were preserved. Counsel stated that It was
vIrtually a slap across the head to the gnevor who had been workIng for a number of weeks
before he was told that he would only be paid for the actual days worked. Counsel argued In
sum that the orders requested were well wIthIn the power of the board and partIcularly Important
because of the lack of good faith that had been shown by the employer In dealIng wIth the
gnevor Counsel relIed on the cases cIted to the board for the prevIOUS Intenm relIef applIcatIOn.
Counsel for the employer argued that essentIally the umon was askIng that the gnevor be paid
when he was not workIng dunng the work hardemng penod. The employer had maIntaIned the
gnevor on full pay between the tIme that a posItIOn was IdentIfied untIl he actually began work.
14
Ms MurJI said that the gnevor was paid In the way that every other employee IS paid when they
return to work on a work hardemng scheme There was no oblIgatIOn to pay the gnevor for the
days not worked. She noted that some employees use vacatIOn and/or sIck credIts to make up the
loss With regard to the lack of notIce, counsel took the posItIOn that It was not necessary when
It was ObVIOUS that he would be paid only for the work he actually dId once returmng to work.
Toward the end of her submIssIOn, Ms MurJI stated that the gnevor had 22 days of vacatIOn In
hIS bank, whIch he could have used to supplement hIS pay The gnevor would have also been
entItled to sIck tIme WIthIn several weeks of returmng to work. Therefore, he also could have
used sIck tIme to supplement the lost Income
With regard to the umon's second, alternate argument, counsel submItted that It would not be an
appropnate Intenm order and that there was no JunsdIctIOn to make such an order Further
whIle the gnevor had made allegatIOns of harassment and dISCnmInatIOn, nothIng as of yet had
been proven. She noted that the employer has a duty to accommodate and that thIS duty had been
satIsfied. With regard to the thIrd request of the umon that an order be Issued requmng 30 days
advance notIce of any change to the employee's compensatIOn and/or employment, counsel
argued that the board had no authonty to thwart the employer's responSIbIlIty to dIrect and
manage the workplace
Counsel for the employer relIed on the folloWIng cases In support of her submIssIOn Versa
Services Ltd and Milk and Bread Drivers, Daily Employees Caterers and Allied Employees
Union, Local 647 (1994) 39 L AC (4th) 196 (Brown) ONA v Orillia Soldiers Memorial
Hospital (1999) 169 D.L.R. (4th) 489 (Ont. CA) OPSEU (Dupuis) andMinistry of Northern
Development and Mines (2001) GSB 0409/00 (DIssanayake) Hayd([l1,ay Motor Inn and British
Columbia Government and Service Employees Union (1995) 51 LAC (4th) 351 (Lang) Royal
15
Crest Life Care Group Inc and CUPE, Local 1712 (1993) 38 L AC (4th) 250 (CarrIer) Stelco
Inc Hilton Works and United Steehwrkers of America, Local 1 005 (1995) unreported case
(Gray)
DECISION - UNION'S MOTION FOR COMPLIANCE ORDER
HavIng carefully consIdered the submIssIOns of the partIes I have decIded that the employer has
not breached the board's order of October 6 2004 The order reqUIred the employer to make ItS
best efforts to accommodate the gnevor In a sUItable posItIOn WIthIn 30 days of the order If the
employer was not able to find the gnevor a sUItable posItIOn WIthIn that tIme frame, It was
reqUIred to put hIm back on the payroll and contInue to make ItS best efforts to accommodate the
gnevor In makIng that order the board noted
In effect what the umon has asked for IS Intenm accommodatIOn, and there IS
never an absolute guarantee that accommodatIOn wIll be achIeved. The
employer's duty IS to accommodate to the pOInt of undue hardshIp Therefore the
order here has to recogmze that oblIgatIOn and ItS lImIts The gnevor IS also
oblIged to cooperate In the accommodatIOn process
As part of that accommodatIOn process the employer was able to IdentIfy a temporary
assIgnment for the gnevor at an OAG 8 level SInce the gnevor had been off work for some
tIme hIS doctor recommended a work hardemng program and so the gnevor returned to work on
a gradual basIs untIl he reached full-tIme hours I accept the submIssIOn of the employer's
counsel that the gnevor was treated as any other employee returmng to work after a sIck leave
He was, therefore, paid for the work he dId.
16
Counsel for the employer submItted that It should have been ObVIOUS to the gnevor that he would
only be paid for the actual work he dId once returnIng to the Mimstry It certaInly was not
ObVIOUS to the gnevor and he should have been Informed before he returned to work. Although I
am not satIsfied that thIS amounts to a breach of the Intenm relIef order It was not handled well
Better commumcatIOn at the begInmng of the process of returnIng the gnevor to work would
have prevented the gnevor' s dIscomfort and thIS emergency motIOn. He would have made a
claim for the lost wages at the conclusIOn of the care
Counsel for the employer remarked towards the end of her submIssIOn that the gnevor could
have used hIS vacatIOn days to make up the lost wages dunng the work hardemng penod. Also
wIthIn several weeks he would also have earned sIck credIts, whIch he could have used. It IS
hIghly unfortunate that the gnevor was not told thIS when he was first beIng advIsed of the
temporary assIgnment. It IS also hIghly unfortunate that the gnevor dIdn't thInk to ask when he
was Informed on Apnl 14 that he was only gOIng to be paid for the days he worked. Umon
counsel stated that had he known thIS was a way of the gnevor maIntaInIng hIS wages he would
not have brought thIS motIOn.
Thus In conclusIOn I find that the employer has not breached the October 6 2004 order and It
would not be appropnate to Issue another Intenm relIef order for the lost wages In the
CIrcumstances I agree wIth counsel for the employer that In thIS case any such order would be
premature and IS better addressed In cloSIng argument. I also note, for the record, whIle counsel
for the employer argued agaInst the umon's request for an order to reqUIre the employer to gIve
the gnevor 30 days notIce of any new posItIOn or any change In compensatIOn, counsel stated
that the employer wIll gIve such notIce to the gnevor Employer counsel also acknowledged that
the order of October 6 2004 remaInS In effect untIl a decIsIOn on the ments of thIS case IS
17
rendered and that the employer has an ongOIng duty to find a sUItable posItIOn for the gnevor If
possIble
For the reasons noted above, the umon's motIOn IS hereby demed.
Dated at Toronto thIS 29th day of July 2005
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