Fri Sep 20 08:00:00 UTC 2024: ## Geneticist’s Wrongful Dismissal Lawsuit Dismissed: AHS Not Employer, Judge Rules
Edmonton, AB – A geneticist’s wrongful dismissal lawsuit against Alberta Health Services (AHS) has been dismissed by an applications judge. Stacey Hume had alleged she was fired after reporting bullying and harassment at a lab where she had worked for over a decade.
Judge Lucille Birkett ruled on Thursday that Hume was an employee of the University of Alberta (U of A), not AHS or its subsidiary Alberta Precision Laboratories (APL). Despite Hume’s arguments that she had AHS business cards, an AHS email address, and participated in AHS training, the judge determined that her employment contract was solely with the U of A.
Hume’s lawsuit stemmed from her allegations that patient reports were altered by a senior staff member to embarrass a colleague, and that she was targeted for speaking out against bullying. After reporting these concerns, AHS stopped funding her position at the U of A, leading to her dismissal.
AHS maintained that the funding cut was part of a business strategy to hire in-house geneticists and improve efficiency. The university, named as a third party defendant, supported AHS’s position, emphasizing that Hume’s appointment was contingent on AHS funding and that her work at the lab was not indicative of employment with AHS.
Hume expressed her disappointment with the decision, stating that the ruling sets a dangerous precedent where healthcare workers may be afraid to speak out against wrongdoing. Her lawyer, Kathryn Marshall, plans to appeal the decision, arguing that the law needs to reflect the evolving nature of employment rights.
AHS declined to comment on the case.
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