A judge has awarded a former 30-year liquor store employee $85,000 in damages, plus 18 months of severance pay, for being dismissed without notice in 2010.
Stephanie Vernon started as a liquor store clerk in 1980 and was promoted over the years to become manager of a Signature Store in Richmond.
In March 2010, an employee made a written complaint about Vernon. After interviewing the complainant, Vernon, and several other employees, the Liquor Distribution Branch terminated Vernon without notice.
The LDB claimed Vernon had bullied and intimidated subordinates and her conduct showed a complete lack of respect for employees.
The LDB argued it was justified in firing Vernon, whose nickname was the "Little General" because she had a "loud management style."
The person who filed the complaint, who began working at the same liquor store in 2009 and cannot be named under a publication ban, testified that Vernon was a bully who would routinely intimidate and yell at her in front of customers.
The complainant said she felt harassed, embarrassed, humiliated and uncomfortable at work.
She testified Vernon had once called her a "f---ing Muslim," and on another occasion, threatened to kill her if she did not tuck in her uniform. Vernon denied both accusations.
Another employee testified that when she told Vernon she could only do light duties and not unload liquor, due to a back problem, Vernon said: "If you can f---your husband, you can do a liquor load." Vernon denied making that statement as well.
The judge found the Muslim comment never happened and the liquor load incident comment never happened. The judgment completely vindicated Vernon.
And six employees Vernon called to testify praised her managerial style, with one employee of 33 years saying she was one of the best managers he ever had. Another said investigators made her feel as if she was lying when she was interviewed about the complaint.
Yet another employee described Vernon as an "awesome manager" who "ran a tight ship."
In his judgment, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Richard Goepel found Vernon "was given no real opportunity to deal with the allegations in the complaint."
An April 2010 meeting to discuss Vernon's termination - in which she was told her conduct was shameful and she was an embarrassment to the LDB - "could not have been handled in a more insensitive manner," Goepel said.
"Having told Ms. Vernon that she was to be terminated, the LDB then suspended her without pay and left her in limbo from April 19 to May 31 when they finally got around to telling her she was fired," he wrote.
He noted the Supreme Court has long recognized the importance of work in a person's life, and that Vernon's position with the LDB, being her entire working career, was "clearly an essential component of identity, self-worth and emotional well-being."
Goepel awarded Vernon 18 months severance, $35,000 in aggravated damages and $50,000 in punitive damages against the liquor board.
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