Homophobic taunts, derogatory comments, and ongoing insults resulted in a poisoned work environment for a gay prison guard at an Ottawa jail. He won the grievance brought by his union against the corrections ministry.

The Ontario Grievance Settlement Board found that Roger Ranger, who was a corrections officer at the Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre, endured harassment and discrimination because of his sexual orientation. The Board identified Mark Grady, who was president of the correctional services' union at the time, as Ranger's main tormentor, finding that he repeatedly used profanities and made rude gestures. The Board concluded that the anti-gay atmosphere at the jail created a poisoned work environment for Ranger and led to him leaving his job. He suffered depression as a direct result of the harassment and became unable to work.

Ranger filed a grievance against the corrections ministry. The Board concluded that jail management was aware of the homophobia that existed among employees, but that "people were afraid to report and that the culture of the code of silence protected some of the worst offenders."

After medical treatment, doctors concluded that Ranger was well enough to return to work, but not in a corrections facility. The Board ruled that the Ministry had a duty to accommodate Ranger's disability - which was caused by the workplace harassment - by finding him alternative employment, but that it delayed unreasonably in doing so.

"The board accepted that [Ranger] was made sick by the harassment and discrimination, and that he failed to get better because the employer didn't accommodate him," said Don Eady, the lawyer for the union that represented Ranger in his grievance. "There really wasn't anything in terms of alternative work offered to him, on any sort of reasonable basis...This is not a mom-and-pop operation - this is the provincial government. There are lots of different jobs there," Eady said.

Next steps include meeting with the government "to discuss what they're prepared to do," as far as compensating Ranger for his lost wages, his pain and suffering, and in finding him alternative employment, Eady said. "If the parties can reach an agreement, great. If not, then we'll go back before the settlement board and seek specific remedies."

By Natalie Fraser, Media Committee Journalist