Iowa Capital Dispatch
Iowa needs to create more accountability for workplace harassers. (Photo by Getty Images)
The Iowa State Appeal Board recently approved another sexual harassment settlement for an employee who endured disgusting and retaliatory behavior at the hands of her supervisor while working for the Department of Human Services.
Compensating targets of sexual harassment is necessary, but the current outcomes aren’t solving the problem of harassment in Iowa government workplaces. The Iowa Attorney General and the Iowa State Appeal Board are in a powerful position to make change and prevent future settlements.
The attorney general negotiates the settlements, but they are subject to State Appeal Board approval. Right now, the board does not have to hold problem departments accountable, hold harassers personally accountable, or require proof of sufficient change before approving settlements. Nor do they ask people targeted by harassment for their views regarding these