Alberta mom suing Starbucks over her firing because she alleges her cancer was confused for COVID-19

An Alberta mother who alleges Starbucks Coffee Canada Inc. mistakenly thought her cancer symptoms were COVID-19 symptoms is now taking legal action against the company, arguing she was wrongfully fired over the mix-up.Lisa Pedersen has a rare type of blood cancer called myeloproliferative neoplasm and is undergoing chemotherapy treatments for it.

This is while she is also parenting three kids, including one with special needs who requires round-the-clock care.Pedersen has been fighting the cancer for the last two years, and now she is also fighting her former employer whom she said fired her without cause.For four years Pedersen worked at a Starbucks coffeeshop in Airdrie, Alta., a job she called her “dream job.”She said she worked her way up to a supervisor position and liked the company and its culture so much that she planned to work there until retirement.In April 2021, her dream job came to an end when she said she was fired.“You have to have three writeups to be fired from Starbucks, so they did all three at once,” she told Global News. “One for coming to work sick, one for not following COVID protocols and one for handling food while sick.”Pedersen said she never had COVID-19 and believes her cancer symptoms were mistaken for the symptoms of the coronavirus.The cancer was officially diagnosed a month after she said she was let go for breaking the company’s health policy.The Calgary law firm Samfiru Tumarkin LLP has filed a lawsuit against Starbucks Coffee Canada Inc., on behalf of Pedersen.“She was unfairly reprimanded due to symptoms believed to be COVID-19-related, when in fact it was actually blood cancer,” Pedersen’s said Aaron Levitin, Pederson’s lawyer.Pedersen said she tested for COVID-19 and forwarded the.