A court case just wrapped up in Albany, New York, and workers in nearby New Jersey may be interested in how it played out, as it sheds some light on how sexual harassment in the workplace can happen. The man who had been accused in the case decided to plead guilty.
That man used to be an official with the state’s corrections department, though he has since lost his job. He was accused of sexually harassing another employee who was a subordinate of his, and he was being charged with coercion.
According to reports, the man was working as a director for the Special Investigations Unit when he forcibly touched the other employee in a sexual manner. Charges against him were also for official misconduct and harassment, along with coercion.
As a result of his plea, his position has been taken away, and he’s been told to do 120 hours of community service. On top of that, he’ll have to pay a fine of $1,000.
The issues in the case go even deeper than that, however. The employee went to the man’s supervisor after the incident occurred, wanting to report it. That employee then claims to have been illegally retaliated against due to the report. The employee was barred from making overtime pay and given an altered work schedule.
According to the authorities, this happened because the former director tried to intimidate anyone who would expose him, using his position to keep them quiet and exploit them.
Things like this happen all too often, and it’s crucial for employees to know all of their legal options.
Source: NJ Herald, “Former NY corrections official guilty in harassment case,” Jan. 06, 2016
