A Vancouver Island man who was repeatedly urged to stop sharing his religious views to his co-workers has lost his complaint to the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal.
Seann Friesen claimed he was discriminated against when he was told to stop preaching while working as a cleaner at Fisher Bay Seafood in Sidney, B.C.
The tribunal heard Friesen was hired as a night shift cleaner at the plant and was quickly promoted to night shift supervisor because the company was so pleased with his work.
But other staff members were irritated after Friesen's repeated attempts to convert them, prompting some to switch shifts or quit the already difficult-to-fill jobs.
The tribunal has found managers at Fisher Bay Seafood tried to accommodate Friesen's beliefs in order to keep a valuable worker, but that he seemed unable to stop discussing religion with unwilling staff members.
In dismissing Friesen's complaint, the tribunal says Fisher Bay was respectful of its employees' varied religious beliefs and only fired Friesen when he refused a request to restrict his preaching to his lunch hour.
