Great Canadian Gaming Illegally Fired Workers in Pandemic, Says Class Action Lawsuit

Former casino employees say that, despite taking substantial aid from the government, Great Canadian Gaming wrongfully terminated them, offering desperate workers a paltry payout in exchange for their legal rights.  

The lead plaintiffs include more than two dozen former Casino Nanaimo employees who say that they and other Great Canadian Gaming employees were subjected to undue hardship during the pandemic. Great Canadian Gaming, along with its subsidiary Great Canadian Casinos Inc, ran the now permanently shuttered casino located on Vancouver Island, BC.

The class action lawsuit alleges that the companies claim the workers are still employees and that they are paying benefits; however, the plaintiffs say that they were, in fact, terminated without proper notice or compensation.  

The plaintiffs allege a litany of labour law violations from the beginning. As the coronavirus pandemic hit the region, shuttering the gaming industry, Great Canadian Gaming allegedly refused to allow employees to use their vacation and other benefits. Further, the company allegedly kept employees in the dark about the status of their jobs.  

Some of the plaintiffs say that instead of paying out their tips, they were given envelopes of cash from a manager’s trunk in July of 2020.  

Further, Great Canadian Gaming refused to extend temporary lay-off periods, leaving workers without access to important income assistance from the government, such as employment insurance, claims the class action lawsuit.  

Instead, employees were forced to take buyouts that were equal to approximately one week’s pay for each year of service with a cap of eight weeks. Great Canadian Gaming allegedly deemed this a “severance,” which stripped workers of their legal rights.  

“The way Great Canadian has attempted to force destitute workers to take a buyout that leaves them stranded in a month’s time is reprehensible,” states the class action lawsuit.  

The Canada Revenue Agency lists Casino Nanaimo in receipt of the Canadian Emergency Wage Subsidy, reports Glacier Media Publications. The plaintiffs say Great Canadian Gaming is violating BC employment law and attempting to strong-arm them out of their rights.  

“Some of us have been working there for 30-plus years and myself, 22 years,” lead plaintiff Kimberly Bussiere told the Vancouver Island Free Daily. “At my age, it’s hard to get another job and get trained to a position where I would be making what I was making as an employee of the casino. You put in 22 years, you’ve put a lot of time in and you’re expecting to retire and have a pension and all of a sudden you’re unable to access any of that.” 

Great Canadian Gaming, which also operates River Rock Casino and Resort in Richmond, was reportedly sold to an asset management fund in December. Operators say that it plans to reopen Casino Nanaimo and rehire workers.  

“As the matter is before the courts, we do not have a comment,” Chuck Keeling, Great Canadian Gaming Corporation executive vice-president of stakeholder relations and responsible gaming told reporters of the class action lawsuit. “We would note, however, we are eagerly anticipating the reopening of Casino Nanaimo as early as July 1, subject to receiving approval from the provincial government and [Dr. Bonnie Henry] to do so.” 

Were you wrongfully terminated during the coronavirus pandemic? We want to hear from you! Tell us your story in the comment section below! 

The plaintiffs are represented by Martin Sheard and Geraldine Teixeira. 

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