A recently obtained access-to-information request reveals that Memorial University compensated hard-of-hearing student William Sears with a $10,000 payment after the Human Rights Commission determined the university had violated his rights. Initially, Memorial resisted disclosing the settlement details but eventually released the information.
The case, which took seven years to progress through the Human Rights Commission tribunal, concluded with a ruling that Memorial had failed in its duty to accommodate Sears. Despite this, the university initially decided to appeal the decision at the Supreme Court, aiming to overturn both the ruling and the associated fine. In September 2022, Memorial spokesperson David Sorensen stated, “The university believes there are errors of law in the adjudicator’s analysis of the matter.” The appeal argued that the adjudicator’s decision did not adequately consider the university’s obligation to balance competing rights and failed to assess whether Memorial had acted in good faith.
However, on November 24, 2022, Memorial ’s General Counsel, Scott Worsfold, sent a letter to McInnes Cooper law firm titled “Cheque for Mr. William Sears from Memorial University.” The letter included a $10,000 cheque (C0436775) issued by Memorial University of Newfoundland, intended for William Sears and forwarded to the Human Rights Commission.
The access-to-information request also included copies of the cheque and the invoice related to the payment.
Download the ATIPP file below:
Matt Barter is a graduate of the Humanities and Social Sciences Faculty at Memorial University of Newfoundland, holding a degree in Political Science with a minor in Sociology. He enjoys reading thought-provoking articles, taking walks in nature, and volunteering in the community.
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