Restaurant that allegedly laid off 28-year employee in favour of temporary foreign workers under investigation by federal government

The Canadian Press: April 21, 2014

The federal government is investigating a Saskatchewan restaurant where two waitresses say they lost their jobs to temporary foreign workers.

A spokeswoman for Employment Minister Jason Kenney says the minister has asked his department to investigate the Brothers Classic Grill in Weyburn, Sask.

A CBC report says Sandy Nelson and Shaunna Jennison-Yung were among several servers who were fired last month and replaced by government-approved temporary help from outside Canada.

Nelson, who is 58, had been employed by the restaurant for 28 years.

She tells CBC all staff members received discharge letters in March and some were offered their jobs back, including two temporary foreign workers.

The restaurant’s owners did not immediately return phone calls, but provided CBC with a statement defending their position and maintaining they were acting within the rules of the temporary foreign workers program.

Nelson says she doesn’t understand how it’s possible she’s out looking for a job while foreigners are still employed at the establishment.

(Read the full article at The Province)