Harassment complaint goes unresolved for Health P.E.I. employee
CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — A P.E.I. lady who endured office harassment is talking out about Well being P.E.I.’s grievance course of whereas her case sits unresolved after two years.
Bobbi Newman was working in a provincially run long-term care residence when, after greater than a yr of harassment from two co-workers, she went out on stress depart in October 2020.
Newman says the 2 girls appeared to leap on each likelihood to level out errors in her work, including they spoke about her to her employees when she wasn’t there and undermined her work when she was away on bereavement depart.
“There wasn’t sufficient nitpicking they might do towards me,” stated Newman when she spoke to SaltWire Community by telephone on April 6, nearly 18 months after she filed a proper grievance in regards to the bullying with Well being P.E.I. in October 2020.
In December 2020, Newman received a letter from Well being P.E.I. saying her case could be dismissed as a result of the alleged harassers didn’t violate the Respectful Workplace Policy.
“Our lead investigator … has concluded that the info revealed in the course of the investigation don’t assist the grievance,” reads the letter, dated Dec. 21, 2020.
Subsequent steps
Newman wasn’t prepared to just accept that what she had endured wasn’t harassment. She requested to see the report, however Well being P.E.I. wouldn’t launch it. She referred to as her union, IUOE Native 942, and employed a lawyer.
Then, Newman took her considerations to the Staff Compensation Board (WCB).
In July 2021, a health-care specialist from the occupational well being and security division on the WCB took a take a look at the chief abstract of the investigator’s report. He got here to a unique conclusion from Well being P.E.I.
“The sample of conduct recognized by the investigator is a sample of conduct that’s meant to be prohibited by the Office Harassment Rules,” wrote the WCB.
The letter stated the conduct was in step with the definition of disrespectful behaviour discovered within the Well being P.E.I. Respectful Office coverage in addition to the definition of harassment, particularly, “… inappropriate conduct … that the individual is aware of or must know may have a dangerous impact on a employee’s psychological or bodily well being or security.”
Due course of
Well being P.E.I.’s Respectful Office coverage says the director of human sources (HR), should assess each grievance and decide if it meets the edge for a proper grievance or if a casual decision is healthier.
“We wish to make sure that people who work for Well being P.E.I. have a civil work surroundings to work in,” stated Jason Rendell, the director of HR at Well being P.E.I. in a telephone interview with SaltWire Community April 8. Rendell answered questions in regards to the grievance course of usually however didn’t get into the specifics of Newman’s case.
He stated he solely facilitates the investigation after which interprets the outcomes.
“After we get the knowledge (from the investigator), we overview that info and attempt to make the very best determination potential, based mostly on the info,” stated Rendell.
After that, Rendell stated he stated he meets with the events to undergo the findings.
“I attempt to be as open and clear as potential by way of this course of and check out to make sure that the questions and considerations are addressed,” he stated, including he follows up these conferences with a letter to summarize the important thing factors.
Newman stated whereas she and a union consultant met with Rendell in January 2021, there was no followup.
It wasn’t till August 2021 that Newman acquired a doc with 12 suggestions and a request for her to return to work.
Rendell stated if an worker will not be happy with HR’s response to a grievance, they produce other avenues.
Unionized workers might file a grievance underneath their collective settlement. Any worker, no matter union standing, can contact the occupational well being and security division of the WCB. Moreover, Rendell stated if new info or proof involves gentle, that would transfer the grievance ahead.
Obvious inconsistencies
When requested in regards to the inconsistencies between his letter and the one from the WCB, Rendell stated he can’t touch upon any particular case.
“I can’t communicate on to the decision-making piece or the rationale of WBC and the way they garnered their determination,” stated Rendell. “However our perspective, based mostly on info that was offered, we attempt to make the very best selections based mostly on the info that have been offered.”
Rendell’s recommendation for any employees in search of assist resolving a battle within the office is to talk to their HR consultant at work to discover choices.
“These are advanced points, for certain, and we take violence and so forth very significantly,” stated Rendell, “(I) definitely encourage people to have the dialog and are available ahead.”
Alison Jenkins is a well being reporter with the SaltWire Community in Prince Edward Island.
