Arbitrator upholds dismissal of long-serving employee who wore mask with Islamophobic statement at work after making discriminatory comments

2023-04-28T14:56:47-04:00Alberta, Discharge and Discipline|

An Alberta arbitrator upheld an employee's dismissal for wearing a mask bearing an Islamophobic statement at work after making discriminatory comments about Asian and Muslim people. Finding that the employee, who had 20 years' service, deliberately and defiantly engaged in a series of discriminatory acts in the workplace over the course of a day, despite receiving multiple warnings from the employer and co-workers, the arbitrator held that the employee's dismissal was justified and that there were insufficient reasons to substitute a lesser penalty.