A former Rally Management Services Ltd. project manager is suing the company for wrongful dismissal, alleging that bullying and harassment by the company’s owner reignited his post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) suffered after returning from the Persian Gulf War.
Lee Harvey filed a notice of civil claim in BC Supreme Court on February 11. He claims he was hired on as a project manager in May 2018 and relocated to Canal Flats, B.C., from Red Deer, Alberta, with the help of a home loan from a related numbered company. But less than two weeks into his position, Harvey claims he “began experiencing severe bullying and harassment” from the company’s owner, non-party Brian Fehr, an Order of British Columbia recipient and chairman of Prince George-based BID Group.
“As a result of this conduct, the plaintiff experienced a severe reoccurrence of his PTSD symptoms and began a two-week medical leave on or about October 8, 2018,” the claim states.
“The Plaintiff was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (‘PTSD’) after returning from the Persian Gulf War. His condition had been well maintained and he was not experiencing any symptoms when be began his employment with the defendant.”
When Harvey’s doctors advised him to take an additional month off when his two-week leave was up, he claims he was fired the next day without cause or notice. He claims he was terminated in bad faith while on medical leave while the defendant allegedly called in the home loan and sued him for the money after he was fired.
Harvey seeks unspecified general, aggravated and punitive damages for breach of employment contract and breach of duty of good faith.
The allegations have not been tested or proven in court, and Rally Management Services had not filed a response to the lawsuit by press time.
