WestJet sex assault allegations lead to review of procedures

WestJet has commissioned an independent review of its reporting procedures and practices following accusations that it failed to properly handle an allegation of sexual assault.

Ernst and Young have been contracted to assess the company's current investigative protocol, WestJet announced Friday.

Mandalena(Mandy)Lewis is suing the Calgary-based airline,claiming she was sexually assaulted by a pilot in 2010 during a layover in Hawaii.

She alleges the company protected the pilot and fired her instead. None of the allegations have been proven in court.

• WestJet's handling of sex assault claim left employees vulnerable, says fired flight attendant
• WestJet sexual assault allegations addressed by CEO

Last week, WestJet president and CEO Gregg Saretsky posted a statement to the company's blog, writing that WestJet would be in courtdefending the lawsuit launched by Lewis.

"However, the broader issues of sexual assault and harassment in the workplace that were raised are matters we take most seriously," Saretsky says in today's announcement.

In light of new information brought to the company's attention, Saretsky called for an independent review to take place.

"From the moment we learned of the allegations, we took a series of firm and decisive steps that led us to where we are today," a WestJet spokesperson told CBC News in an email Friday.

"We engaged several teams at WestJet to immediately begin re-investigating the allegations, and we reached out to our employees to encourage anyone with information about the allegations or any other behaviour that violates our respectful workplace policies to come forward."