The Northern Health Region must rehire and compensate a former Flin Flon health care aide it wrongly fired in 2011, a government-appointed human-rights adjudicator ruled Tuesday.
Linda Horrocks will receive back pay for the years of work she has missed along with a $10,000 payment “for injury to her dignity, feelings and self-respect,” the Commission said in a news release.
The ruling revolves around Horrocks’ use of alcohol and the duty of employers to accommodate employees who have addictions.
According to the Commission, Horrocks was initially suspended after reporting to work smelling like alcohol on one occasion.
She admitted to struggling with alcohol use and was willing to seek treatment, the Commission said, but the health region would not let her return to work unless she agreed to abstain from alcohol completely.
She initially refused to oblige because she felt the demand was discriminatory, but several months later she signed an agreement committing to the no-alcohol decree, the Commission said.
“Before she could return to the workplace, the employer received reports from co-workers that she was drinking, including one that she appeared drunk in a grocery store,” the Commission said. “The woman denied that she had been drinking, but her employment was still terminated.”
The firing took place in July 2011, according to CBC.
In a statement to CBC, the health region said it was disappointed by the decision but respects the office of the Manitoba Human Rights Commission.
“We are reviewing the decision to assess its impact,” the health region said. “We will take steps to ensure patient safety is not compromised, as that remains a top priority for us.”
In addition to financial compensation, the Commission ruled that the health region must implement a “reasonable accommodation policy” for employees.
Horrocks was directed to undergo an assessment by an addictions expert before she can return to work.
The Reminder will have more on this story in our print edition on Friday.
