The B.C. Supreme Court has ordered an engineering firm to pay a former employee more than $45,000 for unpaid overtime and benefits for working long hours at out-of-town job sites.

The judge also dismissed Vancouver-based Ecora Engineering and Environmental’s “meritless and bad faith” counterclaim against Terilyn Brito and therefore ordered the company to pay her an additional amount in punitive damages.

The counterclaim was “intended to deter Ms. Brito from pursuing her claim,” wrote Justice Joyce Murray. “This is troubling, as allegations such as this can be harmful to a professional’s reputation.”

Punitive damages, meant to punish defendants in civil claims and to deter others from similar actions, are rare in Canadian courts. Brito’s lawyer hadn’t requested them in the lawsuit and th

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