Sexual Harassment: Judge Blasts San Francisco Housing Authority

A San Francisco trial judge has found that the San Francisco Housing Authority ignored repeated employee complaints of sexual harassment allegedly committed by a female supervisor. Both men and women reported that they had been subjected to inappropriate touching and invitations to view explicit material on a computer, and said the supervisor threatened their jobs when they refused her advances. An investigation by the agency, although inconclusive, did find that the supervisor had engaged in inappropriate touching. But rather than disciplining her, the Housing Authority gave the supervisor sexual harassment training and promoted her. The court ordered the agency to pay $75,000 to one worker, plus attorneys’ fees. The Housing Authority and the supervisor have disputed the judge’s ruling and may appeal.