Sexual Harassment Claims Spur Iowa Legislature to Hire HR Manager

Republican leaders in the Iowa Legislature are creating a human resources manager position to oversee harassment complaints, six weeks after the state agreed to a $1.75 million settlement with a former Senate staffer who said she was sexually harassed in the GOP caucus office.

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Republican leaders in the Iowa Legislature are creating a human resources manager position to oversee harassment complaints, six weeks after the state agreed to a $1.75 million settlement with a former Senate staffer who said she was sexually harassed in the GOP caucus office.

Staff for the GOP-controlled House and Senate plan to hire the director of human resources before the legislative session begins in January, said Ed Failor, a senior aide to Senate Majority Leader Bill Dix. The job, posted since late October, closes Friday.

The new position will be a resource to lawmakers as well as nonpartisan and partisan staffs. The job description does not directly reference sexual harassment issues, though it notes the director will "train managers to supervise employees in compliance with state and federal laws and applicable policies and procedures, including anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies and procedures."

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Caroline Cournoyer is GOVERNING's senior web editor.
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