Kelowna Radio host sues employer

[radiofan]

Kelowna radio on-air host sues station for 'misogynistic' and 'toxic' workplace
Wayne Moore - Nov 17, 2021

Suzanne Milne claims Kelowna radio station CKLZ (formerly Power-104) fostered and promoted an environment that was both toxic and misogynistic.

Milne, who spent more than six years at the station under the pseudonym "Sue Tyler," made the claims in court documents filed in BC Supreme Court in Kelowna this week.

She is suing station owner Jim Pattison Broadcast Group and Pattison Media, along with multiple employees, including general manager Karl Johnston.

In the suit, Milne contends she was hired in April of 2014 to portray her Sue Tyler character on the station.

She says the character, crafted over 30 years, was designed to appeal for a male demographic aged 18 to 40.

The character, she says, portrayed as confident and empowered, fun and outgoing. The character pushed the envelope on women's sexuality and dressed provocatively during public appearances.

Milne claims male staff "did not differentiate between the character and her, and accordingly deemed it appropriate to speak and treat her in a belittling and sexist manner simply because the Sue Tyler character was overly sexual and confident," documents stated.

She says she made complaints to Johnston about the culture of the workplace, but added those complaints had fallen on deaf ears, stating Johnston supported, fostered and participated in the inappropriate workplace culture.

She cited several examples of what she terms misogynistic behaviour on behalf of staff members.

In one instance two years ago, while suffering with shingles, she states her manager publicly suggested she instead had gonorrhea. When confronted, she said the manager laughed and continued to make fun of her condition.

Milne is on long-term medical leave triggered by the workplace environment for the "intentional infliction of mental suffering."

Court documents claim their actions contributed to depression, anxiety, PTSD, the inability to perform her duties, loss of enjoyment of life, hypertension, insomnia, suicidal thoughts and a racing heart rate.

She claims the company breached its duty to provide a workplace free from harassment, sexual or otherwise, and its duty to treat her with civility, decency and respect by failing to make a timely, prompt, appropriate or remedial response to her informal and formal complaints.

Milne is seeking unspecified damages from all defendants.

The defendants named in the suit have not yet filed a response to the allegations, which have not yet been tested in a court of law.

The Jim Pattison Broadcast Group declined comment.

https://www.castanet.net/news/Kelowna/3 ... ace#351777

[Marathon]

I can't imagine Ms. Milne being successful with this. I do give her or her lawyer credit for coming up with the idea the she was merely playing a sexually provocative character on the radio and that male staff members behaved improperly towards her as a result. I've been part of numerous radio shows where I played a given character and know many people who have done the same. In all situations it was never assumed that anyone was that character by any other staff members. I've never heard of anything like this in radio or in any form of the entertainment business. Point being, radio personalities are usually somewhat fictionalized versions of themselves. The notion that she spoke, acted and dressed in a sexually provocative manner only as the Sue Tyler character seems pretty far fetched.

[Willywood]

Having been in this situation some time ago, I’d advise caution on both sides. These things get messy fast. There’s a number of factors in the case.
- was the on air persona Ms Tyler’s idea, or management ?
- were some of the offending remarks in show prep meetings?
- what were the terms of her separation with the company ? Was she happy with the terms ?

Most I’ve what I’ve read in the headlines is very much the same, with not a lot of context. Again caution. Here’s an example.

A gentlemen that I let go developed a case of measles. I saw the gentlemen in a bank and asked him how he was feeling. The long and short of it was I not only initially got tagged with wrongful dismissal, but now I faced an harassment charge.

Hopefully all parties can settle amiably.

[Marathon]

Having been in this situation some time ago, I’d advise caution on both sides. These things get messy fast. There’s a number of factors in the case.
- was the on air persona Ms Tyler’s idea, or management ?
- were some of the offending remarks in show prep meetings?
- what were the terms of her separation with the company ? Was she happy with the terms ?

Most I’ve what I’ve read in the headlines is very much the same, with not a lot of context. Again caution. Here’s an example.

A gentlemen that I let go developed a case of measles. I saw the gentlemen in a bank and asked him how he was feeling. The long and short of it was I not only initially got tagged with wrongful dismissal, but now I faced an harassment charge.

Hopefully all parties can settle amiably.

Perhaps the gentleman in the bank was only playing a character with measles which was developed over 30 years and designed to appeal to 18-44 males.

[Willywood]