Whitefield selectmen adopted a workplace harassment policy, which includes sexual harassment, Monday evening.
Board members met last week with fire department personnel and reinforced the fact that “we (selectmen) are their bosses,” said chairman Steve McCormick at the regular meeting March 7. “They are all town employees and are subject to termination if they aren’t following town policies.”
The urgency of having an authorized policy to deal with harassment and fraternization arose after the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office investigated a Jan. 15 incident concerning criminal trespass and unwanted text messages sent by town fire chief Tim Pellerin to a female subordinate with whom he’d been romantically involved. (LCN 1-27-11)
The incident sent selectmen scrambling to develop and adopt an official policy.
Initially the board thought it would include a fraternization paragraph. Fraternization policies address romantic relationships between supervisors and subordinates, particularly the difficulty of continuing a supervisory relationship with a former romantic partner or interest.
Selectwoman Sue McKeen said there are so many officers in the department that it would be “heavy-handed to have a fraternization policy.” She said nearly half the members are officers, either “captains or supervisors.”
The town’s new policy defines sexual harassment as “unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature” under various conditions. Offensive behavior ranges from verbal or physical abuse to gestures, leering, lewd jokes, sexual practical jokes and horseplay.
Illegal harassment includes “unwelcome conduct or behavior” based on race, color, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, ancestry, national origin, veteran’s status, whistleblower status and other factors “when (1) enduring the conduct becomes a condition of continued employment; (2) submission to or rejection of the conduct is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting the individual; or (3) the conduct has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individual’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.”
The complaint process requires “the municipality of Whitefield (to) promptly and fully investigate any issues of harassment or discrimination in the workplace.” Employees who witness, experience or know about violations are “encouraged and expected to report” such harassment to their supervisor or the board of selectmen.
Complainants also have the right to file with the Maine Human Rights Commission within 300 days of the date of the alleged harassment.
Chairman McCormick said, “I think we’ve done the right thing. As town officials and managers, we need to be aware of what’s going on with all departments in town. It’s our job to make sure town employees are under control.”
McCormick said the policy can be amended if needed.
Since then, changes to the roof and the architect’s fees have bumped up costs, leaving $30,000 for such remaining estimated expenses as furnishings ($3500), topsoil and seeding ($7000), paving ($10,000), and a generator ($5000).
“Before I pay $7000 on that seeding, I’d want to think real hard,” McCormick said.
