Mae’s School head charged with failing to pay employee benefits

Mayfield French, founder and administrator of Mae’s School, was yesterday admitted to self-bail when she appeared before acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court to answer to charges of failing to pay her employee and wrongful termination of her employee.

It is alleged that on February 1 at Georgetown,  French of 102 Third Avenue, Subryanville, Georgetown being the employer of Denise Morrison on a weekly basis failed to pay $10,000 due to the said Denise Morrison, a security guard, for vacation leave.

On the same day, being an employer of Morrison, French is accused of failing to pay $50,000 in benefits due to the said Morrison.

On February 11 the defendant denied  an application made by Karen Forde, Labour Officer, that she had failed to pay benefits to Denise Morrison.

On the same day, the accused denied that she failed an application by Karen Forde, Labour Officer, to produce the company’s records of wages for Denise Morrison

The defendant also pleaded not guilty to giving written termination on February 1 to Denise Morrison.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to her by the acting chief magistrate.

Attorney-at-law Nigel Hughes who represented French made an application that his client be sent on her own recognizance on the grounds that she has no previous antecedents.

He added also that his client is well-known as an educator and has given all assurance that if admitted to her own recognizance she will return to court to vigorously clear her name of the charges levelled against her.

According to Hughes, the charges are clearly a means of coercing a settlement on the part of the virtual complainant.

The attorney’s application was granted and the accused was placed on self-bail. She was ordered to return to Court Two for September 21.