Canada government to help immigrant caregivers sue former employers

Canada, 1st June: Canada government feels committed to help immigrants working as caregivers in Canada get wages from their employers.

And the government has reiterated to assist newcomers employed as child-care workers sue their former employers for wrongful dismissal as well as unpaid wages.

Two immigrant caregivers to sue for unclaimed wages--Two immigrants working as caregivers in Ontario are asking for $350,000 from their ex-employers for unpaid wages and wrong dismissal from their jobs.

These child-care workers, namely Vivian de Jesus and Lilliane Namukasa are also asking other child-care workers in Canada join them for having a legislation to offer protection with regard to work conditions in Canada.

Namukasa had come to Canada from Uganda for working as a caregiver. However, she alleges that her former employer had dismissed her from the job without any reason about one year ago.

She was working as a live-in nanny in Brampton for two small kids. She was joined by another immigrant caregiver Vivian de Jesus.

Immigrant nanny-caregivers dismissed from job without any reason--Namukasa had worked as full-time nanny for two years. However, she got only $2,100 from her employer and was fired from her job without any reason.

As per the employment contract, Namukasa was to get $22,000 every year before deduction for taxes and room and board charges worth $2,860.

As a result, she claims in a Ontario Superior Court that she had no option but to seek entry in a homeless shelter. Namukasa is seeking $162,000 from her former Canadian employer for unpaid wages, vacation pay, statutory holiday pay and breach of contract.

In addition, she is also asking for $33,000 for dismissing her without any reason.

Workers Action Center highlights the plight of immigrant workers in Canada—Namukasa is not alone in her agony. In fact, she represents apathy of several immigrant workers who are vulnerable at the hands of their employers and are victims of wage theft in Ontario, states a non-profit organization of workers named ‘The Workers’ Action Center.

Speaking at a recent news conference organized by the center, the coordinator of the center, Deena Ladd has asked for immediate improvisations in the Employment Standards Act.

These include increasing the upper cap on recoverable amount under the act from $10,000 to $25,000 along with increasing time limit for complaints with regard to wages and other allowances to 3.5 years for live-in nanny caregivers in Canada.