Former Dartmouth hotel employee claims she was fired because of her mental disability

A former employee with the Comfort Inn in Dartmouth has filed a human rights complaint against her former employer, claiming she was wrongfully terminated from her job based on her mental disability.

Yvette Beals began working as a part-time front desk clerk at the hotel chain on Windmill Road in November 2016. She says a few months into the job she was assigned extra duties, which included tasks outside the parameters of her job description such as serving breakfast and kitchen cleanup.

Beals said the extra work was a “thankless” job and she was exhausted by the expectations, which began to weigh heavily on the 41-year-old.

“I was stressed and I couldn’t sleep,” said Beals on Wednesday on the witness stand at a human rights inquiry.

“I had things going on at home and I had things going on at work.”

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In June 2017, Beals says she was exhausted and stressed and she went to her family doctor and was given a medical leave from her job at the Comfort Inn.

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Beals was also working as a part-time home care provider at the time but pointed directly to her job at the Comfort Inn as the source of her mental stress.

Beals said her doctor recommended she go on a leave of absence from work at the hotel and said she was prescribed medication for her anxiety and stress and another prescription to help ease her sleeping disorder.

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During her examination, Beals said she delivered the doctor’s note to staff at the Comfort Inn and told her boss and general manager, Mary Vandergrift, that she had suffered a mild breakdown and would be going on a leave of absence.

Beals said she and Vandergrift spoke over the phone.

“Mary, I’m not in a good place right now,” said Beals, as she recalled the conversation. “She (Mary) said ‘Ok,  If you need anything just call.'”

Vandergrift confirmed the phone conversation but said it was her understanding that Beals was going on a two-month medical leave but it went much longer and the two sides never spoke again until four months later.

In October, Beals was ready to return to work. She was no longer working as a home care provider and was eager to return to the Comfort Inn, but in a phone conversation with Vandergrift on October 13, she found out her job wasn’t there for her and she was fired.

“I had every intention to bring her back at that point and to see if maybe after that time off if she would be a more positive person on the desk and see if she got along with everyone,” said Vandergrift.

It was never documented, but on the witness stand, Vandergrift said fellow employees had made complaints about Beals’ attitude and work ethic.

When questioned why this wasn’t disclosed, Vandergrift said she didn’t want to make matters worse between co-workers and hoped that Beals would improve.

Vandergrift said it was never brought to her attention that Beals had a mental condition; she was under the impression it was just a “mental breakdown” and was hopeful she would make a recovery.

But Vandergrift ultimately said her decision to terminate Beals’ employment was based on complaints from fellow employees.

All materials and evidence are going to be delivered to the human rights inquiry board chair and lawyer Donald Murray by Friday, and it will be up to him to make a decision for or against the complainant.

The Human Rights Commission has six months to make a decision. If it decides in favour of the complainant, another hearing will be held at a later date to determine a resolution.