George Brown College - dispute, early days

 As mentioned in a prior post, the dispute (which was originally over salary) began in 2015. .. and my cancer diagnosis was in 2015.  

GBC refused to expedite the resolution.

In March 2018 we came to an agreement.  But it contained an error - my salary was listed incorrectly.  I immediately pointed out the error, and submitted prooof of my salary (pay stubs). Nonetheless, GBC communicated that they could not confirm my salary, even after giving them pay stubs WHICH ORIGINATED WITH THEM & WERE IN  THEIR POSSESSION.  How could any employer not know what they paid an employee?

Work assignment @ George Brown College

 Even though I began, or tried to begin, the return to work process around Christmas - with a planned return to work date of May 01 - George Brown did not give me a work assignment.  Furthermore, they never communicated a reason to me for why they refused to give me a work assignment.

Salary issue at George Brown College

With regard to the salary dispute at George Brown College re: a man - Andrew Johnston- who was hired for the same job, in the same department & hired at the same time as I was, but who is paid ~$20k more than I am..

Necessary detail:  I had worked on contract at the college for 3.5 years before being hired permanent/full time.

When I asked Human Resources to review my resume and starting salary, the VP of human resources (Nancy Hood, who has since retired) told me in writing that my work experience at George Brown College was "irrelevant".

Irrelevant????  Imagine if potential students were told such a thing!!!

2 letters from George Brown College threatened to fire me during cancer

Continuing the discussion of the hell I went through during cancer, specifically as related to my employer George Brown College...  

George Brown College sent me not one but two letters (one from Leslie Quinlan and the other from Dave Maharaj) threatening to fire me WHILE I WAS ON SICK LEAVE WITH CANCER.

The thing is, during the 18 years I have worked there, I have never had a black mark next to my name.  I've NEVER been reprimanded or disciplined for anything at anytime during my employment at George Brown College.

And the thing that makes me scratch my head is that these 2 letters & the threat within them do not jibe with George Brown College’s own "Progressive Discipline Policy."

Ridiculousness from Roanna Moses at George Brown College

Another source of major headaches was how George Brown College acted when I was due to return to work following cancer.  My doctors advised that initially I should A) work from home and B) work flexible hours.  

Roanna Moses in the human resources dept of George Brown College resisted both doctor's requests. Her job title is "Disabilities and Accommodations Manager".

George Brown College, via Roanna Moses, did not support working from home EVEN THOUGH THE WHOLE PROVINCE WAS WORKING FROM HOME BECAUSE WE WERE IN COVID LOCKDOWN!  The lame explanation given to me was that the doctor's nites didn't match what the insurer said... but again we were in a pandemic lockdown.

And Roanna Moses resisted "flexible hours" because George Brown College didn't understand what "flexible hours" meant, even after 16 emails and 2 phone calls.  I even sent them a link to Dictionary.com so they could look up the words "flexible" and "hours" but they still couldn't figure it out.

***** When I eventually write FDSTSUE, I will explain thisnin full and give the relevant details and supporting dox.

Paola Loriggio Article

 

Part of the drag-on and on and on is delays and understaffing at the various bodies where the workplace dispute could be adjudicated. 

https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/experts-say-staffing-shortage-compounds-covid-19-delays-at-human-rights-tribunal-1.5082048

After about three years of dragging through the HRTO channels, this died on the vine.  What is disappointing was that so much time was wasted getting nowhere.

Other Things @ George Brown College: Andrew Johnston

One of the worst things I  have endured during cancer is a protracted dispute with my employer, George Brown College  It began in July 2015.  I was diagnosed with cancer in October 2015.

The dispute with George Brown College began as one thing, but has morphed into 1,283,864 other things that are still alive today.  

Initially, it was about my salary and the salary of the man - Andrew Johnston - who was hired the same time as I was, for the same job, in the same department.  I found out he was paid $20K more than I am.  Source: Sunshine List

https://www.sunshineliststats.com/PersonByName/9/2021?n=georgebrowncollegeofappliedartsandtechnology&name=johnston

Works in Progress (WIP)

 For the most part, cancer derailed me from writing, be it the next Sasha Jackson mystery, or blog posts, or pretty much anything else.

In the last 7 or 8 months, I've been very tentatively poking a bit at not one, but two writing ideas.  Both WIPs are in early, nascent  embryonic stages.  The working titles for the two projects are:

■  The Worst Thing About Cancer Is Other People (TWTACIOP)

and

■  Fall Down Seven Times, Stand Up Eight (FDSTSUE)

Both projects are nonfiction.  Both have to do with my cancer experience, but each comes at things from a different perspective.

TWTACIOP mainly focuses on how people around the cancer patient & people who have never had cancer inform the experience of the patient.  You'll shake your head and roll your eyes a lot.

FDSTSUE is about my cancer, ahem, "journey", plus all the things I experienced during my cancer, ahem, "journey."  It covers the good, the bad, and the ugly, much of it will surprise you.  A major theme is the shenanigans I endured via my employer, George Brown College, and the protracted dispute that dragged on during cancer.  You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll hurl (nod to Wayne's World).

I have no idea when either of these will be completed, nor do I know which one will be finished first.  What I do know is that I have a lot to say.

P.S.  I am not working on any Sasha books at this time.  Even way back before cancer, I had the next two Sasha books (Odd Lang Syne & Home Sweet Homicide) underway.  I like both of these, and will finish them someday.  However, at present, I'm not inspired to write fiction.  So, back burner for now.

***** Whenever I eventually publish one or both of these books, I will provide all the details and supporting documents.