Former worker seeks more than a million dollars in the claim, alleging wrongful dismissal and sexual harassment
A retired CIBC executive is now in hot water after a former worker filed a $1-million lawsuit on allegations of wrongful dismissal and harassment.
As reported by Alexandra Posadzki of The Canadian Press, Diane Vivares—who previously worked with the bank's equity markets group—claimed in the December 2015 lawsuit that former CIBC World Markets executive director Kevin Carter shoved his hand in her skirt twice during the company’s Christmas party back in 2007.
Vivares also alleged bank management of not doing anything to protect her from further incidents. She claimed that in 2014, a junior trader displayed pornographic pictures to her from his phone, and just a year after, an unidentified individual sexually harassed her via an explicit note left on her work desk.
Bank officials denied the allegations, with Carter saying that he only had minimal interaction with Vivares during the 2007 event.
“CIBC took all reasonable steps to provide Vivares with a work environment that was free from harassment, discrimination, and/or bullying,” the defence read.
Officials added that Vivares did not report the incidents, saying that she did not utilize the ethics hotline provided by the company for such instances. Vivares countered that she did not inform human resources of the alleged harassment out of fear of losing her job.
CIBC circulated an internal note among its employees on Wednesday (May 18) to remind them of the bank’s no-tolerance policy concerning harassment of any form.
As reported by Alexandra Posadzki of The Canadian Press, Diane Vivares—who previously worked with the bank's equity markets group—claimed in the December 2015 lawsuit that former CIBC World Markets executive director Kevin Carter shoved his hand in her skirt twice during the company’s Christmas party back in 2007.
Vivares also alleged bank management of not doing anything to protect her from further incidents. She claimed that in 2014, a junior trader displayed pornographic pictures to her from his phone, and just a year after, an unidentified individual sexually harassed her via an explicit note left on her work desk.
Bank officials denied the allegations, with Carter saying that he only had minimal interaction with Vivares during the 2007 event.
“CIBC took all reasonable steps to provide Vivares with a work environment that was free from harassment, discrimination, and/or bullying,” the defence read.
Officials added that Vivares did not report the incidents, saying that she did not utilize the ethics hotline provided by the company for such instances. Vivares countered that she did not inform human resources of the alleged harassment out of fear of losing her job.
CIBC circulated an internal note among its employees on Wednesday (May 18) to remind them of the bank’s no-tolerance policy concerning harassment of any form.
