Canada’s top court has approved a $100-million sexual harassment class-action lawsuit against the RCMP.
The settlement will allow claimants between $10,000 and $220,000 in compensation if they experienced harassment or discrimination at work based on gender or sexual orientation.
The value of the settlement is $100 million but that will depend on the number of claims.
It’s estimated roughly 2,000 claims will be made. Members can begin submitting claims from May 10 to Nov. 5.
Three women — Cheryl Tiller, Mary Ellen Copland and Dayna Roach — launched the lawsuit, which claimed the RCMP was negligent and had violated their rights by failing to ensure they could work in a harassment-free environment.
“These women worked alongside us, within our walls, and were entitled to a safe and respectful workplace. The trust of the public flows, in part, from their perception of how we treat each other, so it is essential that the RCMP continues to improve our workplace culture and environment.”
In 2016, RCMP announced the settlement of two class-action lawsuits stemming from harassment allegations, some of which dated back to September 1974.
— With files from Erin Ubels and The Canadian Press