Conseil Scolaire Acadien Provincial v. Nova Scotia Teachers Union
Conseil Scolaire Acadien Provincial
Law Firm / Organization
Burchell Wickwire Bryson LLP
Lawyer(s)

Noella Martin, KC

Nova Scotia Teachers Union
Law Firm / Organization
Pink Larkin
Sacha Morisset, Arbitrator
Law Firm / Organization
Pink Larkin

Background:

  • A teacher was placed on leave with pay by CSAP pending misconduct investigations.
  • The teacher went on sick leave, with his physician recommending six weeks of medical leave starting June 9, 2022.
  • CSAP marked the teacher on unpaid medical leave from July 1, stopping his salary from August 1.

Grievances:

  • NSTU filed grievances under both Provincial and Regional Agreements.
  • Arbitrator Sacha Morisset found CSAP violated the Regional Agreement by misclassifying the teacher's leave status and not replenishing his sick leave.
  • The Arbitrator ordered CSAP to pay the teacher's salary from August 1 onward as reparation.

Judicial Review:

  • CSAP sought judicial review, claiming the Arbitrator exceeded his jurisdiction and acted unreasonably.
  • The court applied a correctness standard to determine if the Arbitrator exceeded his jurisdiction.

Key Issues:

  1. Jurisdiction: The court found the Arbitrator exceeded his jurisdiction by addressing salary issues, which fall under the Provincial Agreement.
  2. Reasonableness: Although reasonableness was questioned, the focus was on the jurisdictional overreach.

Court Decision:

  • The court set aside the Arbitrator's orders related to salary and benefits, as these were beyond his jurisdiction.
  • The issue of sick leave was upheld, but salary and benefits matters were to be determined by an arbitrator under the Provincial Agreement.
  • The teacher's salary repayment was deferred for future determination by the appropriate arbitrator or mutual agreement.

Costs:

  • CSAP was awarded costs of $875 plus reasonable disbursements.

 

Supreme Court of Nova Scotia
521491
Employment law
$ 875
Applicant