An employee who was fired one day after complaining to the
Ministry of Labour that she felt threatened by "disgruntled
and aggressive clients" was entitled to damages for the
retaliatory discharge, the Ontario Labour Relations Board has
decided.
The employee worked for an investment/marketing company. She
tried to speak with a company manager about her concerns with
aggressive clients and about having the company develop procedures
to deal with matters such as violence and harassment. The manager
refused to entertain the suggestions.
The employee then contacted the Ministry of Labour and told the
MOL that she felt threatened in the workplace and that her employer
had no policies to deal with her concerns. After a co-worker
contacted the MOL with concerns, an MOL inspector came to the
workplace and ordered the employer to prepare a violence and
harassment policy. The next day, the company dismissed the
employee.
