A Vancouver taxi driver was suspended following a physical altercation with a fellow driver, and he took the suspension to the BC Civil Resolution Tribunal to fight for lost wages.
Jaswant Sahota brought a small claims case against Yellow Cab Company Ltd., suggesting that he was improperly suspended.
He claimed $5,000 as compensation for lost wages and revenue. H also claimed damages for harassment that arose from the suspension.
In response, Yellow Cab said it was entitled to suspend Sahota and was justified.
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The entirety of the tribunal dispute stems from an altercation at a park in August 2022 between Sahota and another Vancouver taxi driver referred to in the tribunal decision as MK.
According to the tribunal’s decision, the altercation also involved another person, HL. The tribunal states that at some point, Sahota grabbed MK from behind. Sahota doesn’t refute this version of events, but he says he did so to break up an altercation between MK and HL “and not so that HL could strike MK as MK alleged.”
Sahota presented a lot of evidence about his part in the altercation, but unfortunately, the tribunal wasn’t ruling on his role in the fight, but whether or not the suspension was valid.
Following the incident, there was a meeting with both drivers and the Board of Directors, and Sahota was suspended for three days. Sahota did not present his evidence during that meeting, which may have helped him avoid suspension.
The tribunal found that Yellow Cab “reasonably exercised its discretion” to suspend Sahota. It added that even if Yellow Cab had been in the wrong in this case, Sahota wouldn’t have been entitled to his claims of $5,000. A statement of Sahota’s earnings showed that three work days amounted to $601.14.
“Sahota does not dispute these calculations other than to say that no amount will compensate for the intrinsic value of his dignity.”
After all was said and done, Sahota actually owed Yellow Cab $25 for tribunal fees.
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