Another work dispute is headed to the industrial court after an employee claimed she was denied proper compensation from the National Parks Authority.
The former employee of the National Parks Authority is taking legal action against the Commissioner and Board Chairman for alleged denied allowances. Nickisha Jankie filed the lawsuit last week, claiming breach of her collective bargaining agreement.
The authority’s former acting Human Resource Manager says she is owed more than $300,000.
According to court documents, Jankie argues that she was denied allowances between January 1, 2015, and March 3, 2023, despite fulfilling the role of Human Resource Manager for seven consecutive years. The parks authority, according to the suit, refused to confirm her position, which she deems as unfair and unreasonable.
Jankie’s collective bargaining agreement stipulates that employees acting in a higher position are entitled to acting allowances. However, despite assuming the responsibilities of HR Manager since November 2014, she was never officially confirmed in the role.
Jankie claims that she was promised confirmation by the parks commissioner, but no compensation materialized. Instead, she was offered a stipend of $500 starting in January 2022.
She said that Board reportedly asserted that she was only performing “certain Human Resource functions” when she actually did the job of the former HR Manager.
In an attempt to resolve the dispute, the Parks Authority made an offer of $148,000 to settle the matter. However, Jankie rejected the offer, stating that it fell significantly below the sum she believes she is entitled to.
Jankie is seeking $377,545, which includes base pay, travel allowance, and telephone allowance.