Labour law experts weigh in on firing of heckler
An Ontario company's decision to fire an employee caught hurling vulgarities at a female reporter is earning praise in many quarters, but others are questioning whether the legal risks are worth the public relations rewards.
Companies who quickly dismiss staff members for questionable off-hours conduct leave themselves open to lengthy lawsuits, but experts said they may still choose to navigate this treacherous territory in order to bask in the glow of a rosier public image.
The benefits of such an approach were playing out on social media a day after Ontario electricity producer Hydro One fired engineer Shawn Simoes within hours of learning that he had appeared in a video making sexually explicit remarks to CityNews reporter Shauna Hunt.
Twitter and other social networks were abuzz with praise for the company, saying that Simoes and another man seen on video with him deserve harsh punishments for shouting obscenities while Hunt was covering a Toronto FC soccer game.
Employment lawyers, however, said businesses can't enjoy such public praise without venturing onto shaky legal ground.
http://www.insidehalton.com/news-story/5616610-labour-law-experts-weigh-in-on-firing-of-heckler/