Steve Kent maintains that the City of Mount Pearl should have done more to ensure his personal privacy was protected.

The former Chief Administrative Officer has filed a lawsuit against his former employer for constructive dismissal and breach of privacy. Kent claims that his personal Facebook messages were accessed through an iPad left in his office during his time on leave.

Last week, the city issued a release indicating that Kent’s logged-in Facebook Messenger account was found on the city-owned device through banner notifications. It stated that the device was unlocked, and full messages were available without the need for a password.

Kent asserts that the breach itself matters more than the method in which it was conducted. He affirms that he was an employee on leave, with employee rights, and the device should have been secured and protected.