Public payouts for harass claims not on table — yet
Senate President Stanley Rosenberg says a review of the state Senate’s sexual harassment policies could examine whether taxpayers should be on the hook when it comes to paying out settlements for misconduct.
Six female senators, led by Majority Leader Harriette Chandler, will review the Senate’s policies around sexual harassment through the end of January.
“It’s fair game for Sen. Chandler and for her crew to think about,” Rosenberg said yesterday during an appearance on Boston Herald Radio, during which he took questions about taxpayer-funded settlements for sexual misconduct.
“I’d have to think about that,” he said. “If it occurred in the workplace, the employer has a responsibility, but the individual also has a responsibility.”
Chandler’s office said it is in the early phases of crafting its policy review, adding that Chandler and others involved haven’t settled on whether questions about public funding of misconduct settlements would be examined.
Some lawmakers in Congress have called for an end to taxpayer-funded settlements for sexual misconduct in the wake of revelations that Congress’ Office of Compliance has paid more than $17 million for 264 settlements and awards to federal employees for violations of various employment rules, including sexual harassment.
U.S. Rep. John Conyers of Michigan is currently under fire for reportedly using his publicly funded House office funds to settle a sexual harassment claim.
In the state Senate, two complaints of sexual harassment have been filed in the past three years — one against an intern and one a visitor to the State House. No lawmakers have been involved, officials said.
If a lawmaker was accused, Rosenberg said removal would be complicated.
“In the state system, it’s a very complicated situation when a person is elected by the public,” Rosenberg said. “It’s the public who can remove them in the next election. An individual, if they are found to have done something inappropriate, they would have to do the right thing on their own. We can censure them. We have reprimanded them. We can take away their chairmanship. But we can’t take away their seat.”