Employee Who Complained Because of Sexual Harassment Was Ignored

When an Iowan is the victim of harassment, complaining about it to those in a position of power in the workplace will do something to put a stop to it. This belief is true with sexual harassment or any other type of ill treatment. When those in a position of power fail to act, it can make the situation untenable for the harassed employee as the abuse might become worse with it being harder to stay in the job. For those who have taken all the necessary steps according to the law to address the issue and have not received the desired results, a lawsuit can be the last resort, help to rectify the situation and receive compensation for the abuse.

A female state worker who was being harassed by an Iowa State trooper complained to a captainand was told that she should deal with the issue on her own. The incident came to a head in August of 2017 when the alleged victim, a legislative security coordinator, said she was afraid of the trooper and wanted his behavior to stop. She sent this information via email. He was sending her messages via social media asking to meet and have a relationship with him. She felt fear due to an incident when his gun fired under questionable circumstances in late 2016.

She says that the captain did not help her and made excuses for the trooper. The woman in question handles security for the governor. She has 30 years of experience patrolling and has respect throughout the state. The captain also suggested that the three discuss the issues among themselves. The captain never followed up, nor did he ask her about how she was coping. After trying to avoid the trooper at work, she reported him. He was put on administrative leave in September 2017. He was fired in early July.

When there is any kind of sexual harassment taking place in the workplace whether it is offensive sexual comments, repeated asking for dates, inappropriate touching, the showing of offensive material, or simply seeing another person being harassed, the person has the right to think that he or she will be believed and the treatment will be addressed by the employer. As this case shows, sometimes it is not that simple. A lawyer who is experienced in sexual harassment should be consulted when this is happening. It is the first step toward stopping the behavior for good and receiving compensation for it.