Rewards From Following Through...

Remember when I mentioned upon meeting my old boss for the very first time, he reminded me so much of the Moron?  Well,  I couldn't have been more on the money.  I'll give you a very quick rundown on the situation.  I was hired to replace a manager at a retail store. That would seem fairly simple enough, except there was all these weird things going on, such as I had to be in to open the store 1/2 hour early (but wasn't paid for it) and close (again couldn't write it down on time sheet), six of us during the day used the same till - but it was only counted at beginning of shift and at the end, we weren't paid for Stat holidays... and the list went on.

Being a single mom in an economy that is, well lets just say less than booming, I dearly needed the money, but I had decided that if I let another person take advantage of me again - without standing up for myself, then I hadn't learnt my lesson.

I talked numerous times with my supervisor, then finally after a month of no headway, told her if things did not change I would have no recourse except to go to the labour board.  I was fired the next day with charges of theft and fraud of the company, and since I was there for under 3 months I was told he could do so without cause.  He presented me with a letter in which it stated I was resigning as a result of my acknowledgement of theft and fraud and that I would not go after my employer nor his company for any monies owing now or in the future, and that if I did not sign the police would be called.  I did not sign, gave back the keys, and left.

I ended up following through and going to the labour board with all the original charges of incorrect stat holiday pay, and reprisal on top of that.  10 months later, a tribunal was held where my employer brought forth 4 current employees that lied and stated that I stole merchandise and came in late constantly.  Here's the thing though, he had no proof (because it never happened), and moreover when the witnesses were questioned, their stories not only did not match up, but no one stated that they actually saw me take any merchandise.

My former employer was told that the burden of proof rested on him under the Act to disprove the claim of reprisal.  In such the rules of evidence applied, and a current employee has more to gain in statements where they are for the employer as they have more likely a fear of losing their job.  No hard evidence was provided, except for ironically, he actually presented the letter which he attempted to get me to sign, and he in fact helped me in ways he at that time could not imagine....

With the presentation of that letter, not only did he corroborate my side of the story, but he hung himself in the process....just like the Moron.  Give them enough rope, and they will hang themselves...
They are so hellbent on getting you back, and believe in their own little crazy world what they are doing is right, that they fail to see how intimidating and just plain wrong their actions are and will be perceived to be.

Today I received the written decision.  I cannot tell you the joy that I feel after reading the 20 page document!!!!  Not only does it make the employer appear to be an intimidating bully, but it awards me with a rather large, hefty settlement :)  One that I truly had no idea would be even part of the equation.  So nice to see the little guy win once in awhile, even nicer to be the little guy that wins :)

Merry Freaking Early Christmas to me :)