A local Jewish woman, Mrs. Thelma Abrahams, who was dismissed for absence from work on Yom Kippur, was granted full employment insurance benefits by a Court of Referees of the Unemployment Insurance Commission, although the same court determined that the firm possessed the right to discharge the employee. This is the first case of its kind to be heard in Ontario. The Canadian Jewish Congress helped fight the case.
Mrs. Abrahams, was on the staff of the Guardian Insurance Company. She had asked for leave of absence for Monday, September 29th, to observe the Day of Atonement. When leave was refused she absented herself and was discharged upon her return. When she applied for unemployment insurance, payment was declined on the grounds that the nature of her discharge disqualified her from benefits. Mrs. Abrahams then appealed to the Court of Referees.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
