Help Me Recover from Workplace Abuse & Rebuild My Life

Hi, my name is Sofia (alias), and I’m fundraising to stay afloat after surviving a traumatic workplace experience at Sheridan College’s SIRT Centre — a story that includes harassment, wrongful termination, financial loss, and institutional silence.

This is not just a request for help. It’s a call for accountability — and a chance for me to rebuild my life after being pushed to the brink by people and systems that were supposed to protect me.

What Happened

In early 2023, I accepted a contract role at Sheridan College’s Screen Industries Research and Training (SIRT) Centre, located at Pinewood Studios in Toronto. I was hopeful and eager to contribute — I even changed my mortgage payment date to match the school’s payroll schedule. I enrolled in the CAAT pension plan, signed up for benefits, and paid into every system like a responsible citizen and worker.

But from the moment I walked in, something felt wrong.

Senior staff treated new hires like “fresh meat.” I was questioned, undermined, and isolated — often asked who hired me and what I was doing there, as if I didn’t belong. I was promised a new Apple laptop, asked to choose between two models — only to be handed a broken, overheating 2007 MacBook Air. My workspace was unsafe and unsupported. The IT department on campus said they weren’t even allowed to touch our devices — because SIRT operated “separately” from the rest of the college.

It didn’t take long for the situation to escalate from dysfunction to outright abuse.

Sexual Harassment & Retaliation

A senior manager — a married man — began making inappropriate advances. One day, I found myself seated next to him when he made his attraction to me very clear, in an extremely inappropriate and public way. I rejected him professionally and firmly. Days later, I was terminated.

No investigation. No warning. No due process.

This wasn’t just humiliating — it was devastating. I was fired for having boundaries. Fired for not “playing along.” Sheridan College, ranked “#1 employer” by Forbes, allowed this to happen under their roof. I reached out to Dr. Janet Morrison, the President of the college. She never replied.

This is what happens to women when institutions protect predators instead of their people.

The Financial Fallout

I was only at Sheridan for five months, but during that time I:

☢️Paid into the CAAT pension plan

☢️Paid union dues

☢️Paid taxes

☢️Restructured my mortgage payments

☢️Signed up for workplace benefits (which I barely got to use)

I was never compensated for the trauma I endured. The pension plan I contributed to didn’t grow my money — it just held it, like a shoebox. Thankfully, I recently received my own contributions back. Not a cent more.

That refund is now covering my June mortgage. But I’m still drowning in debt from this ordeal and from surviving alone:

☦️$175,943.36 left on my mortgage (at 5.74% interest, $613.53 biweekly payments, maturing next year)

☦️$26048.43 in credit card debt (up from $18,092.18 even after a hardship plan)

☦️No tenant currently renting my spare unit, despite paid ads and virtual showings

☦️No financial assistance from Sheridan, Employment Insurance, the union, or OSAP — and I refuse to pay OSAP for a fraudulent education

Emotional & Mental Impact

This wasn’t just a job loss. It was a psychological war.

Sheridan promised me a stable contract. I was told to “get comfortable.” I signed a two-year agreement, but the woman who hired me went on mat leave three months in. When she left, everything changed. The culture turned toxic fast — siloed, competitive, cold.

People ignored messages. Deliberately misinformed me. Boasted about their “seniority dates” and made it clear I was replaceable. One even asked me if I “knew how things worked around here” as if I was naive for expecting basic decency.

I’ve worked in private, public, and nonprofit sectors — this was one of the most traumatic environments I’ve ever been in.

Why I’m Fundraising

I’m raising funds to:

Cover upcoming mortgage payments

Pay down my remaining credit card debt

Ensure stable housing for myself and Baby Love (my emotional support baby doll who represents what I’ve lost and what I’m rebuilding)

Buy time to secure a responsible tenant and get back on my feet

I’ve done everything right. I paid into the system. I asked for help. I reached out to HR, the union, leadership. I used my voice. I filed forms. I even donated items to local causes — I’m still trying to give back, even with so little left.

But I can’t do this alone anymore.

A Few Final Notes

⚠️I do not wish harm to the individuals involved — but I do demand accountability

⚠️I am not paying OSAP for an education that nearly broke me

I hope my story helps others recognize red flags and speak up — before it’s too late

Whether you donate, share, or simply read this story with an open heart — thank you.

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GoFundMe Update

I want to thank everyone who has supported me so far. I’m sharing this update because the situation has become even more overwhelming, and I’m trying to handle everything as best as I can on my own.

Over the past few weeks, several major financial and legal issues have hit me all at once:

1. CRA Issue

The Canada Revenue Agency is claiming I owe $6,979.24 for COVID-19 benefits I never applied for or received. I was fully employed during that time and never accessed any emergency benefits. I am now disputing this with CRA, but the process is slow and stressful.

2. City of Mississauga Property Taxes

I received notice that I supposedly have unpaid property taxes for this year, with an additional penalty of $193.67, bringing the total to $2,859.70. I am trying to arrange a payment plan, but it is difficult while I am on social assistance.

3. Mortgage Arrears

Scotiabank has notified me that my mortgage is in arrears for $2,454.12 and has warned me that they may proceed with enforcement options if the arrears are not resolved soon. I’ve already paid a significant portion of this condo through the sale of my father’s property and my own work income, so losing my home at this point is extremely frightening.

4. Banking Issues

I have been locked out of my Tangerine and PC Financial accounts, making it impossible to check balances or confirm payments. Their phone lines have had extremely long wait times, and I have not been able to reach anyone. As a result, some payments appear to have bounced or gone unpaid without my knowledge.

5. Court Hearing

I have an upcoming court hearing, but I still have not received the disclosure documents I need to get legal advice. I’m expected to attend in person for fingerprinting and a formal appearance, but I cannot afford transportation or legal fees. I am now trying to get assistance through Legal Aid.

6. Health and Stress

My physical and mental health have been declining under all this pressure. I’ve been dealing with digestive issues and extreme stress, and it’s been difficult to keep up with everything while trying to stay stable and safe.

Why I’m Asking for Help

I’ve always supported myself through my own work, even through very difficult personal circumstances. But right now, I’m facing multiple emergencies at once, and I simply cannot manage them alone.

Your support will help me:

prevent foreclosure

address outstanding bills

secure legal assistance

Resolve the CRA issue

stabilize my situation while I work on getting healthy and back on my feet

Any contribution — even sharing the link — truly means more than I can express. Thank you for standing with me during this incredibly difficult time.

Your help gives me breathing room. Your belief helps me rebuild.