Complaints against mayor on commissioners’ agenda
Harassment allegations against Whitehall Mayor Michael Harakal Jr. will be a possible subject of discussion for the Board of Commissioners during a workshop Monday evening.
On the agenda for the meeting, scheduled for 7 p.m., is a potential settlement regarding the complaints, which former human resources officer Ashley Nischan and two other women made.
Township Solicitor Jack Gross said the board wouldn’t take action on the settlement until a regular meeting Dec. 12. He added he couldn’t comment on details of the settlement; what if any policy changes the township has made in response to the allegations; or if there have been any additional allegations since last year.
Board President Joseph Marx said the township put sexual harassment training in place after the investigations into Harakal’s behavior, but declined further comment until the agreement was finalized. He added it’s possible board action won’t happen until after Dec. 12.
Harakal didn’t respond to a request for comment.
Nischan and the two other women, through interviews with The Morning Call and complaints filed with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, accused Harakal of inappropriate behavior that included invasion of their personal space, touching them without permission, asking inappropriate personal questions, making sexually explicit comments and taking female employees for drives in his personal vehicle to isolated locations.
Nischan and the two women, who asked to remain anonymous because they feared retaliation, said in interviews they felt Harakal’s actions were unprofessional and made them feel afraid.
The complaints allege the mayor’s actions and the township’s response were discriminatory, Allentown attorneys Jeff Fleischaker and Steven Bergstein said last year.
Harakal’s alleged misconduct affected many women working for the township, the women said.
An attorney representing Harakal said at the time the complaints had been investigated and found to be meritless.
The women’s lawyers noted that the township investigated only after forcing Harakal to approve the investigation, as required by the township’s prior harassment policy. It appointed attorney Ed Easterly to conduct interviews. He produced a report in November 2020 that commissioners were allowed to read but not keep and a set of recommendations.
In addition to the revision of the township’s harassment policy and providing sexual harassment training to employees including Harakal, the recommendations included protocols specifically to address Harakal’s behavior, according to the complaints.
The recommendations, according to the complaints and copies provided to the women, said Harakal should be prohibited from taking female employees on rides in his vehicle unless required for township business, holding closeddoor meetings alone with female staff members and touching or invading the personal space of female employees. They also said Harakal should be instructed not to go behind the desk of any employee unless asked to do so and to abide by social distancing requirements.
Harakal was appointed mayor in 2017 to complete Ed Hozza Jr.’s term when he left for a job in Lehigh County administration. Harakal was elected to the post in 2019.