Winona resident Todd White is alleging Hamilton East-Stoney Creek NDP MPP Paul Miller and the Ontario NDP have discriminated against him, while also allowing racist speech, bullying and harassment to continue within the MPP’s workplace over two years.

In a complaint filed with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario last week, White, who has worked with Miller as a constituent assistant since Miller was elected MPP in 2007, identified 12 incidents of bullying, harassment, discrimination and violations of various safety and employment standards from 2015 to 2017 .

“I have been the target of MPP Paul Miller’s vexatious conduct since 2015,” White alleged in his 24-page claim. “My employer leverages my family status to this end, demonstrating efforts to bully, intimidate, demean and threaten me.”

White, who is also chair of the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, claims that discrimination is “normalized,” harassment is “accepted,” and human rights are “disregarded” within the working environment.

White is seeking $250,000 in compensation, including loss of full-time work, unused time off, and reduced employer-paid parental leave top-up.

In addition, White has requested the return of his full-time job, a written apology from Miller, and a letter of reference. Miller, said White, should also be required to attend “comprehensive” human rights and workplace harassment training.

White also states that in October and November 2016, he was forced to “perform partisan work” and “take direction from the NDP ruling association executive.”

White has made complaints about the issues to Miller, Ontario NDP officials and representatives of his union.

He said two investigations by the party’s human resources department have been conducted. No further investigations took place to address his other complaints.

White, who ran for the Hamilton East-Stoney Creek NDP MPP nomination in 2007, but lost to Miller, has filed grievances to the 12 incidents to his union, Canadian Office and Professional Employees Local 343. He filed his claim to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario April 3.

“I am taking my action based upon my right as an employee,” White said in a statement.

Miller issued a statement saying he "fundamentally believe(s) in the importance of fostering a safe and supportive workplace for my employees."

The veteran politician said it was a personnel issue so it was "inappropriate" to comment on any specific allegations.

"I look forward to resolving this matter through due process," he said.

Miller said the Ontario NDP human resources department is "fully engaged" on the issue, including meeting with union representatives "to resolve the conflict."

Requests for comment from the union, the Ontario NDP and party leader Andrea Horwath were not returned.

This is the second complaint made by a Hamilton NDP employee against a sitting provincial politician to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario. Earlier this year, an employee of Hamilton Mountain NDP MPP Monique Taylor filed a claim alleging inappropriate behaviour by the politician.

White, in his documents, paints a workplace that allowed inappropriate comment, to a point where staff became desensitized to it.

“The workplace is such that discriminatory behaviour is normalized,” stated White, “such as routine racist, sexist and homophobic comments. My employer freely comments on and criticizes the appearances of women associated with the workplace, including staff members, community and local politicians.”

White’s allegations include Miller identifying people who are members of the LGBTQ+ community with “derogatory phrases,” while he also “demeans” local cultural groups.

White’s lawyer, Wade Poziomka of Ross and McBride, stated the allegations “(speak) to a larger issue” involving parental leave.

“We need greater awareness and understanding, and I would expect that understanding would start in the offices of our elected representative."

White, who is married with two children, alleges that he was subjected to a “surprise” two-week suspension at the beginning of his parental leave in 2015 after the birth of his first child. White alleges that Miller “expressed hope” the discipline would prevent him from returning from parental leave.

During White’s second parental leave, Miller placed him on an “administrative suspension” in August 2017 without reason or explanation, he states.

“My employer issued a groundless administrative suspension to waste time until my parental leave, leaving me isolated and humiliated,” stated White.

White also alleges Miller recorded a video of a conversation in September 2016 with another employee that he would like to see White quit his job and “boasts that the constituency office is ‘not going to be (a) good atmosphere to work in’ until he finds a way to end my employment.”

Other allegations White makes include Miller disciplining him for missing a March 2017 community event because he couldn’t find daycare, as well as not attending a Canada Day long-weekend event because of family plans.  

At the March event, which Horwath attended, Miller disciplined White, calling his actions “careless, insubordinate, humiliating and harmful to the MPP’s reputation.”

White said the March 2017 event has been referred to arbitration.

Poziomka stated that the allegations, “if proven, are extremely troubling. Mr. White intends to see these matters through to their conclusion.”