Man wasn't fired because he's gay, jail official says
Published Wednesday November 4th, 2009
WINDSOR, N.S. - A youth worker was fired from the Nova Scotia Youth Facility because of a long history of missing work, not because he is gay, a human rights inquiry was told Tuesday.
The former employee, who can only be identified as A.B. because of a publication ban, had an unusually high record of absenteeism for six years leading up to his dismissal, Angelo Visentine testified at the inquiry being held at a Windsor hotel.
The worker was fired in 2005.
Visentine, the deputy superintendent of operations for the Waterville centre, said he and other staff worked with A.B. to try to improve his attendance record.
"I tried to explain to him the importance of coming to work," he told the inquiry, headed by Halifax lawyer Cheryl Hodder.
Under questioning from Justice Department lawyer Sarah Bradfield, Visentine said human resource staff spoke to A.B.'s doctor and were informed that he suffered no chronic illnesses that would prevent him from working.
A.B. was also warned that he could lose his job if his attendance didn't improve, Visentine said.
The youth worker filed a complaint with the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission within months of his firing, claiming he was let go because he's gay.
He and other witnesses for the commission have testified that he was continually harassed at work by co-workers because of his sexual orientation. Some of the witnesses said A.B.'s co-workers bullied him, called him names and played practical jokes on him. They described the atmosphere at the centre as homophobic and anti-female. A.B. says his high absentee rate was a result of the poor treatment he was receiving.
But Visentine told the inquiry that he didn't witness any of the incidents alleged by A.B.
"It's a very structured and safe environment," he said of the centre.
"He never mentioned to me that there were any concerns at work."
It houses about 65 boys and girls for serious crimes such as murder, attempted murder and armed robbery.
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today people are sad everything is somebody elses fault