One-month employee suffered sexual harassment, sexual solicitation, poisoned work environment: tribunal
The Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario has ordered a company and the estate of its late owner to pay a former young employee $32,500 after finding a pattern of sexual harassment, sexual solicitation and a poisoned work environment that drove the worker to resign.
Back Country Tours and the estate of Dudley Hookong must make the payment to Chelsey Cloutier for injury to dignity, feelings and self‑respect.
Adjudicator Marinus Lamers found that Cloutier — then in her early 20s — was subjected to a course of unwelcome sexualised comments and behaviour by Hookong, who was the sole owner, director and operator of Back Country Tours. The respondents did not participate in the proceeding and were noted in default, leaving Cloutier’s evidence uncontradicted.
Cloutier worked for Back Country Tours from May 15 to June 16, 2017, under an agreement that labelled her an “independent contractor”. However, the Tribunal determined — relying in part on a Canada Revenue Agency determination — that she was in fact an employee and that the Human Rights Code’s employment protections applied.
Cloutier testified that from the outset, Hookong behaved in ways that made her feel “uncomfortable, manipulated, belittled, objectified, sexually harassed, anxious and unsafe.” His conduct included belittling her abilities, insisting she would never succeed in tourism...
Welcome to Reality Check, NewsGuard’s newsletter that tracks the false claims and conspiracy theories that shape our world — and who’s behind them. Support us by becoming a premium member or sharin...