Worker’s Winter Storms Work Refusal Fails Due to Lack of Notification

A pest control technician who drives to work was fired for absenteeism and not completing the required paperwork for missed time. Blaming his absences on the stormy winter weather, the technician claimed he was fired in retaliation for exercising his OHSA work refusal rights. The Tribunal upheld the termination. Even if the storms were grounds for refusal, the technician didn’t provide the company immediate notice that he was invoking his refusal rights as required by (Section 15 of) the OHSA, it reasoned [St-Pierre and Maheu & Maheu Inc., 2017 QCCNESST 393 (CanLII), Sept. 26, 2017].