A labour tribunal judge has ruled the head of Champlain College Lennoxville caused a workplace injury.
In her decision on July 19, Judge Valérie Lizotte said Nancy Beattie’s behaviour led former manager Jennifer Coley-Gomez to being diagnosed with anxiety and depression. The 2021 diagnosis legally amounted to a workplace injury, with a doctor linking the diagnosis to psychological harassment at work and prescribing a work stoppage.
Beattie, who has been suspended with pay since January, was alleged to have created a toxic work environment at the college in Montreal’s Eastern Townships.
Champlain Regional College had argued personal factors relating to stress could explain Coley-Gomez’s diagnosis.
But the judge found that the province’s workplace health and safety board was right to give Coley-Gomez compensation for her injury, something the college had been contesting.
‘This has no place in the workplace,’ says judge
Lizotte cited several incidents and behaviours not appropriate for the workplace.
In one case, the judge points to Beattie’s husband, Daniel Poitras, who managed the college’s finances, finding that he behaved “aggressively and angrily” toward Coley-Gomez during a meeting.
“The worker would have expected the director to restore calm, not to continue in the same vein as Mr. Poitras,” read the judgment.
“[Beattie] did nothing to restore calm, on the contrary. This has no place in the workplace.”
The judge also said Beattie was in a conflict of interest while working with her husband and that her behaviour wasn’t appropriate.
In another example cited in the judgment, Beattie sent “disrespectful and vexatious” messages to Coley-Gomez after there had been a fire in the college.
Beattie did not respond to CBC News’s request for comment.
In an emailed statement, Champlain Regional College said it’s dedicated to helping students succeed and “encouraging the personal and professional growth of everyone within the Champlain community.”
“We acknowledge the decision and are reviewing our next steps. At this time, we will not be making any additional comments,” wrote Yves Rainville, interim director general at Champlain Regional College, in an email.
Coley-Gomez said she did not wish to comment on the ruling.