Nova Scotia

Man shot with nail gun reaches human rights settlement with former employer

A Nova Scotia man who said he was attacked with a nail gun and harassed at work because he is black has reached a settlement with his former employer.

Nhlanhla Dlamini alleges he was harassed over his race and shot with a nail gun in the back while at work

Nhlanhla Dlamini said he was intentionally shot with a nail gun by a co-worker on an Abercrombie, N.S., worksite on Sept. 19. (Steve Berry/CBC)

A Nova Scotia man who said he was attacked with a nail gun and harassed at work because he is black has reached a settlement with his former employer.

Nhlanhla Dlamini filed a complaint with the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission back in November. He said he was the victim of racial discrimination at a construction site run by P.Q. Properties Ltd. in Pictou County. 

The human rights commission said Tuesday that all P.Q. Properties employees will receive human rights training as part of the settlement. The company will also work with the commission to update its policy on discrimination and harassment.

For three weeks last summer, Dlamini, 21, worked on a construction site in Abercrombie. Last fall, Dlamini told CBC that during his time at the worksite he was called names, had nails thrown at him and had his jacket stapled to a staircase.

The tension reached a breaking point when another worker at the site allegedly struck Dlamini in the back with a nail fired from a nail gun.

Dlamini shows where he said a 9 cm nail entered his back. (Steve Berry/CBC)

Dlamini required emergency surgery after his lung was punctured by a framing nail. Shawn Wade Hynes is now facing assault with a weapon charges.

No charges have been laid against P.Q. Properties, or its owner Paul Quinn. 

But Quinn did come forward and meet with Dlamini and addressed his concerns through the human rights commission's restorative process.

A news release from the commission states, "the parties achieved their common goal of reaching a mutual resolution to the complaint while addressing the discriminatory actions Mr. Dlamini experienced." 

It said both men were satisfied with the result of the restorative process.

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