Released on March 8, 1996
Donna Greschner, Chief Commissioner of the Saskatchewan Human Rights
Commission, today announced settlement of six human rights complaints
alleging sexual harassment in employment. The workplaces involved were
retail stores, a manufacturing plant, a security firm and a police
service.
"Sexual harassment continues to be a serious problem for working
women," Greschner said. "March 8th is International Women's Day. It
is not only an opportunity to celebrate women's achievements, but a
time to acknowledge that women still face many barriers to equality."
Dawn Bolan worked for The Young Manufacturer Inc. at the Stitches
clothing store in Saskatoon from September, 1992, to February, 1993.
She was employed as an administrator and sales clerk.
In her March, 1993, complaint to the commission, Bolan alleged that she
was sexually harassed verbally and physically by the store's assistant
manager on several occasions in January, 1993. In a separate, criminal
proceeding, the assistant manager was convicted of sexual assault on
the basis of one of the alleged incidents.
The employer agreed to pay Bolan $1,760 for lost wages and $3,000 as
compensation for injury to feelings and self-respect. In addition, the
employer agreed to provide all female employees and all new female
employees hired within two years with a copy of the commission's
brochure entitled "Sexual Harassment."
Shanda Lemky was employed as a security guard at Argus Guard and Patrol
Ltd. in Saskatoon from July to September, 1993. In her complaint to
the commission, Lemky alleged that on the night of Sept. 11, 1993, her
supervisor took her to secured areas of the buildings they were
patrolling, where he made inappropriate advances that included talking
about his own sex life, touching Lemky in an unwelcome manner and
hugging and kissing her without her consent. The employer agreed to
pay the complainant $2,000 compensation.
Kimberley Einarson worked for the Martensville police service as an
administrative secretary from November, 1989, to May, 1992, and as a
special constable from May, 1992, to December, 1992.
In her December, 1992, complaint to the commission, Einarson alleged
that Chief of Police Michael Johnston sexually harassed her on numerous
occasions by making inappropriate and unwelcome sexual comments and by
touching her in an unwelcome, sexual manner.
In settlement of the complaint, Johnston and the Martensville Board of
Police Commissioners each paid Einarson $5,000 as compensation for
injury to feelings and self-respect. Each respondent gave the
complainant a letter of apology and the employer also provided her with
a letter of reference. In addition, the Martensville Board of Police
Commissioners agreed that the personal harassment policy which it
adopted in December, 1993, would apply to all employees.
In another case, two female sales clerks who worked in a Saskatoon home
furnishings store in the fall of 1992, complained that they were
sexually harassed by their manager. They alleged both physical and
verbal harassment, including an invitation to one complainant to spend
a night with the manager in a motel.
One complainant alleged that she quit because she was frightened after
the manager molested her. The other alleged that she was fired after
rejecting the manager's sexual advances.
Without admitting liability, the respondents agreed to pay the
complainants for lost employment income and to pay each of them $1,500
as compensation for injury to feelings and self-respect. In addition,
the respondent corporation agreed to distribute the commission's
"Sexual Harassment" brochure to all current employees and to all future
employees hired within three years.
The Saskatchewan Human Rights Code prohibits sex discrimination,
including sexual harassment in employment. In 1994-95, the commission
received 38 complaints of sexual harassment in employment. All of them
were filed by women.
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For more information contact the Saskatchewan Human Rights
Commission:
Donna Greschner, Chief Commissioner
Saskatoon, 933-5952
Vera-Marie Wolfe, Assistant Director
Saskatoon, 933-5952
