The Tribune

A HANDFUL of women picketed outside the offices of BAF Financial & Insurance Ltd to protest alleged payment disputes of two former employees yesterday.

Former employees Lakeisha Deleveaux and Darronique Collie allege they were terminated by BAF Financial on August 30 last year but were not paid severance.

Ms Deleveaux said she was terminated while on sick leave, and Ms Collie claimed she was on compassionate leave at the time.

However, an official of the company said the women, former sales agents, were let go for “lack of performance” in accordance with their contracts and paid what was legally due to them.

Sandy Morely, BAF managing director, said the women brought their disputes to the Department of Labour and claimed they were dismissed.

He told The Tribune the entire situation is “unfortunate” but added the company is satisfied it paid what it was obligated to pay under the women’s contracts and the country’s labour laws.

While protesting outside BAF yesterday, Mr Deleveaux claimed: “We’ve been bamboozled, we’ve been hoodwinked, we were thrown out to the dogs. One whole year we were waiting to get what is owed to us based on our contract, but unfortunately the executives refused to pay us.”

She further alleged: “I’ve been out sick, I was terminated while out sick and wasn’t paid. August 30 last year we were let go without pay. . .how we were treated, you don’t treat animals as cruel.”

For her part, Ms Collie said: “I’ve been an employee for 13 years, on Aug 30, 2016 they summarily dismissed me without notice and without any form of severance pay. According to (the) contract, they were supposed to pay us.”

She alleged: “I worked there and I was on compassionate leave, they fired me on the death of my mommy. They also fired another employee when she was on compassionate leave. I’m here to demand all of my benefits.

“You don’t treat animals like that, you have me work and didn’t pay me, as far as I’m concerned this is modern day slavery. I don’t see how honourable men could do this to women.

“This is unheard of, a travesty, in a big multimillion-dollar company would begrudge two poor females,” she added. “We’re not begging for anything, we worked.”

Exuma MP Chester Cooper is president and CEO at BAF Financial. However, he said yesterday he is no longer involved in the day-to-day operations of the company.

Meanwhile, Mr Morely disputed the women’s claims. He said after not getting recourse from the Labour Board or from an attorney, the women have now resorted to “Draconian” measures.

“While it is unfortunate, we are satisfied that we have lived up to our obligations,” Mr Morely said. “We have a lot of agents who move on for whatever reason. It is kind of strange to have two agents who take this recourse.”

He added the women are “within their rights to take that course of action” but the company is satisfied that it has lived up to its 100 year legacy and handled the matter properly.

Calls placed to the Department of Labour were unreturned.