VANCOUVER — WestJet has responded to a proposed class-action lawsuit filed by a former flight attendant, denying that it fails to provide a harassment-free workplace for female employees.
In its reply to a civil claim launched by Mandalena Lewis, the airline refutes allegations that it discourages victims from coming forward and silences them when they do.
Lewis is involved in a separate lawsuit she filed earlier this year alleging WestJet failed to take proper action after she reported being sexually assaulted by a pilot while on a stopover in Hawaii.
She has said she began the proposed class action after her initial lawsuit when multiple women approached her with similar complaints.
Behaviours mentioned in the notice of claim include sexist jokes, obscene comments, unwelcome physical contact and so-called "midnight knocking," which is defined as a request or demand for sexual favours by pilots while on a stopover.
In its response to the latest legal action, WestJet describes firing Lewis in January for gross insubordination and an extensive disciplinary record mostly related to poor attendance.
