A former employee of Saskatchewan’s struggling general farm organization wants the money she says is owed her for unpaid overtime and wrongful dismissal.
Deborah McLaren was the senior policy analyst for the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan for about 10 months.
She was fired Oct. 19, 2007, while she was on a doctor-ordered week of sick leave.
Since then, she has been trying to get the organization to pay up. She has taken her case to the Saskatchewan Labour Board, although the agency has not said it will consider the matter.
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McLaren said she had passed her six-month probation period and received a raise when the board of directors passed a motion to dismiss her without cause.
“They have given me no reason for dismissal,” she said.
According to the letter from Arlynn Kurtz, then-chair of APAS’s human resources committee, McLaren’s employment was terminated without cause.
“Your severance, back pay and other matters will be dealt with shortly,” said the letter.
But McLaren said she has not received pay in lieu of notice or for 328 hours of overtime. She also worked weekend hours, approved by the executive, for which she wants to be compensated.
APAS has offered her $3,000.
McLaren estimates $10,000 to $12,000 would be more realistic.
“They just want to be difficult about the whole thing,” she said. “All other former employees have been paid out.”
McLaren is among a string of employees who have come and gone, either through dismissal or of their own accord, since APAS formed in 2000.
Vice-president Don Connick, chair of the human resources committee, could not be reached for comment before The Western Producer deadlines. He was, however, among the eight directors who voted to fire McLaren.
Five others voted against the motion. President Glenn Blakley was not present for the vote.
