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Discrimination claim moves to “the next level”
Friday August 22 2008
By RICHARD VIVIAN Banner Staff Writer
 
A union grievance hearing has failed to resolve allegations of sexual discrimination on the Orangeville police force. Const. Sean Taylor-Cole, who claims to have suffered harassment and ridicule at the hands of superior officers, tells The Banner last week’s hearing didn’t bring an end to her yearlong battle for compensation.
Her accusations have not been proven — other parties have denied her claims at various points in the proceedings.
“We weren’t successful in reaching a resolution and now proceed to move on to the next level,” she said in a prepared statement.
Taylor-Cole declined to comment on what transpired at the union grievance hearing or what the “next level” is. She previously said she sees compensation as key to her long-term future, as she’s unlikely to work in law enforcement again.
The Hillsburgh woman says she was repeatedly berated, baselessly criticized and called offensive names of a sexual nature, both to her face and behind her back, over a two-and-a-half year period.
“This is about justice…. They destroyed me,” Taylor-Cole said late last year. “I believe people should do what’s right…. If you have made a mistake, you take responsibility for that and fix it.”
She’s currently on a stress-related leave from work.
Cynthia Rayburn, chair of the Orangville Police Services Board (OPSB), declined to comment on the grievance hearing and referred The Banner to solicitor Bill Anderson.
“Matters are still pending,” he said, suggesting it’s still possible to resolve the issue through the union grievance process.
Asked about where the process goes from here, he said, “I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
Taylor-Cole’s union grievance was designed to address complaints against the OPSB, former chief Rod Freeman and former inspector Wayne Davis.
Last August, Taylor-Cole filed a $2.5 million lawsuit against the same parties, as well as then-Sgt. Dan Maloney and Sgt. Chris Dryden. The lawsuit was subsequently withdrawn because of lack of jurisdiction.
 “We deny the allegations contained therein and intend to launch a vigorous defence,” said a statement from the OPSB, released soon after the lawsuit was filed.
Maloney and Dryden aren’t involved in the union grievance as they’re represented by the same association as Taylor-Cole.
She subsequently filed a complaint with the Human Rights Commission, which the OPSB backed away from in favour of going through the union grievance process.