The City of Vernon is appealing an order to reinstate a fire captain to active duty after he was caught having sex with a colleague on duty.
The two employees were fired in March 2018 for engaging in sexual activity in the workplace while on duty, but the city was ordered last month to reinstate the pair by a majority of the arbitration board that had been convened to hear a grievance brought forward by the B.C. International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF).
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“The city has filed an application to the Labour Relations Board appealing the order of the arbitration board to reinstate the captian to the workplace,” said the city in a two-line release issued late Thursday afternoon. “The city has also filed an application to stay the implementation of the order pending the Labour Board’s review.”
Both individuals worked in the city’s Fire Service prior to having been terminated last March. The captain, at the time of his termination, had previously served a recent three-day suspension for engaging in bullying and harassment of a fellow firefighter.
In the ruling, the board panel suggested that termination was excessive and instead proposed a four-month suspension as well as a temporary demotion for the captain.
roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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