The Pembroke Boston Pizza.
The manager of a Boston Pizza franchise in Pembroke, Ont., has been fined $15,000 after pleading guilty to providing false or misleading information to an employment standards officer during a workplace investigation.
Ontario’s Ministry of Labour said Sameer Devgon, who managed the restaurant at 1108B Pembroke St. E., was convicted in Provincial Offences Court in Pembroke on March 30.
Justice of the Peace Jennifer L. Grant also imposed a 25 per cent victim fine surcharge, as required under the Provincial Offences Act. The surcharge is directed to a provincial fund that assists victims of crime.
The charge stemmed from an investigation launched on July 19, 2023, after an employee filed a complaint related to entitlements under the Employment Standards Act.
According to the ministry, Devgon identified himself as the restaurant’s manager and told an employment standards officer the employee was not entitled to termination pay because of alleged wilful misconduct.
On July 25, 2023, the officer issued a demand for records seeking documents to support that claim.
The ministry said Devgon later submitted documents, including purported complaint forms from customers and a co-worker about the employee. However, further investigation determined the alleged complainants had not made the complaints and that the documents had been falsified.
Providing false or misleading information to an employment standards officer violates section 131(1) of the Employment Standards Act and constitutes an offence under section 132 of the legislation.
Crown counsel in the case was Evan Schiller.
(Steve Berard)
