A hearing or mediation process has yet to be scheduled by the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario to hear a complaint from an employee who claims Hamilton Mountain NDP MPP Monique Taylor harassed her to file a sexual harassment against another employee.

Jovan Brkic, assistant registrar for the tribunal, said it has received the application from Sandra Troulinos, who worked for Taylor as constituency assistant from 2014 to the end of 2017 when she went on medical leave.

Troulinos said she has also been friends with the provincial politician for 34 years.

Troulinos filed a nine-page complaint to the tribunal earlier this year alleging Taylor pressured her to file a sexual harassment complaint against another employee.

The story was originally reported by the Bay Observer.

In October 2017, Troulinos refused to file a complaint to the Ontario NDP human resources department, when she told Taylor the employee gave hugs. She said Taylor continued to insist she make the claim.

“Monique was adamant that I was being sexually harassed (by the employee),” said Troulinos.

She said Taylor then filed a complaint on behalf of Troulinos to the Ontario NDP human resources alleging sexual harassment by the employee.

“Monique continued to try to force me to participate in the investigation into Monique’s complaint,” Troulinos said. “She told me that if I did not participate, it would make her look bad.”

In a response to the complaint being filed to the tribunal, Taylor issued a statement: “If an employee has engaged a formal process to resolve her concerns, I look forward to participating and being fully co-operative.”

Over the next several days, said Troulinos, Taylor was “relentless in trying to force me to get involved with the complaint — even sending misleading emails about our conversations.”

Troulinos alleges Taylor has “imposed her own views” on employees including “threatening” her when she disagreed with Taylor’s interpretation of sexual harassment.

Troulinos also alleges Taylor talked about her sexuality in “explicit” terms in front of employees. She called the comments “unwarranted” and made her feel “uncomfortable.”

The workplace stress, stated Troulinos, became too much and she took a medical leave in November 2017.

Troulinos said Taylor has “harassed” her and “poisoned my work environment,” while the Ontario NDP “failed” to provide a workplace free of harassment.

Troulinos has also filed a grievance with her union.

She is seeking $225,000 in general damages for pain and suffering, a written apology and a positive reference letter.

Wade Poziomka, of Ross and McBride, who is representing Troulinos, said it is expected the application to the tribunal will be deferred pending the completion of the grievance. Troulinos can still reactivate the complaint to the tribunal.

“If and when the application is reactivated, mediation would be a preliminary step if both sides opt to participate,” he said.

Taylor said in her statement that the Ontario NDP human resources department has been proposing to conduct an independent investigation of the employee’s concerns for several months.

“To date, neither the employee nor her union has agreed to participate,” said Taylor.

“I look forward to the outcome of any investigation into this matter.”

Requests for comment to the Ontario NDP and the union have not been answered.

Troulinos' complaint to the tribunal alleging harassment came prior to Todd White’s complaint to the tribunal against Hamilton East-Stoney Creek NDP MPP Paul Miller.

White, who has worked as Miller’s constituency assistant since 2007, filed his complaint in early April. He alleges harassment and discrimination involving 12 incidents over a two-year period from 2015 to 2018. He has also initiated grievances over the incidents to his union.