$7M class action lawsuit filed against S-Trip student travel firm
Goldblatt Partners has commenced an employment law class action against four related companies that sell student travel packages
A proposed class action has been filed against four related companies that sell student vacations on behalf of the “Trip Leaders” who are responsible for chaperoning students, but who are treated as “volunteers”.
The statement of claim alleges that the companies (collectively referred to as “S-Trip”) have violated the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (the “ESA”) and their employment contracts with Trip Leaders by misclassifying the Trip Leaders as “volunteers” and failing to pay them wages, overtime, vacation pay and public holiday pay in accordance with the ESA. The claim seeks damages for unpaid wages, overtime, and Canada Pension Plan and Employment Insurance Act premiums.
As the CBC reported last August, S-Trip has been accused of exploiting these so-called “volunteer” trip leaders.
Reporting on the new class action, CBC interviewed Josh Mandryk:
The lawsuit from Ottawa and Toronto-based law firm Goldblatt Partners LLP alleges S-Trip “trip leaders” weren’t properly classified as employees and didn’t get paid at least minimum wage for the hours they worked.
The law firm believes those practices violate Ontario labour laws.
“Quite simply, these aren’t volunteers,” said Josh Mandryk, the lawyer working on the case. “This is a for-profit company; it’s in business to make money and these are its front-line workers.”
For more information visit s-tripclassaction.com
Lawyers
Charles Sinclair, Joshua Mandryk