Part of sexual harassment case involved dangling sausage

Part of sexual harassment case involved dangling sausage

Canadian Press
Aug. 25, 2006 12:20 PM

EDMONTON, Canada - A restaurant that failed to take action against an employee who chased a female co-worker with a sausage dangling from his fly has been ordered to pay damages and lost wages to another woman who witnessed it.

An Alberta Human Rights panel ordered the Humpty's Family Restaurant chain to pay former kitchen worker Diane Carr about $6,300.

The woman who was chased did not file an official complaint. But in January 2004, Carr did, saying she was sexually harassed during her 14 months on the job at one of the chain's restaurants in Fort McMurray.

Carr testified in front of a human rights hearing that the woman, who is her sister Judy Thomson, did approach the manager.

"But whenever she complained to him, he shrugged it off or changed the subject to avoid the matter."

Carr also testified she was frequently the subject of derogatory insults from Chris Troake, another Humpty's kitchen worker.

Carr's sister told the hearing the verbal abuse was the worst she had encountered in her 35 years as a worker.

She also confirmed she was chased around the restaurant by Troake in a situation involving a sausage.

"The witness emotionally described the incident, stating that Mr. Troake had the zipper of his trousers undone and the sausage sticking out of his fly," panel chairman Delano W. Tolley said in the written decision.

Troake testified it was a joke and denied chasing Thomson around the restaurant.

Restaurant manager Pyarali Lakhani testified he had to tolerate some "undesirable employee characteristics" because of an acute labour shortage in Fort McMurray.

He said no one but Carr complained about Troake's behaviour.

Humpty's Restaurants International will not appeal the decision, although the company does not agree with it, said area manager Rick MacPherson.

The restaurant chain has changed its new employee orientation policy as a result of the case.

Employees now must read the sexual harassment and company policy guide, and sign a form stating they have understood it, MacPherson said.