A Department of Transportation manager in Pennsylvania, was fired from his job on a charge of harassment after being accused of sexually harassing a female worker multiple times.
Joseph Bauer, who was a PennDOT manager, filed a lawsuit to get his job back despite asking a female worker how much she would charge to have sex with him and an animal.
Bauer told a court that his actions were appropriate and explainable.
However, Senior Judge Rochelle Friedman disagreed, writing in a Commonwealth Court opinion that Bauer harassed the victim, who was a clerk typist, over a period of several months.
One day, when the victim was wearing hoop earrings at work, Bauer put his finger through the opening and made suggestive comments.
During a CPR training class, Bauer told the woman that he can’t wait to take off her bra. The woman complained and Bauer was suspended without pay.
An internal investigation revealed that Bauer had also asked the woman how much she would charge to have sex with him and also with an animal.
Bauer was fired for violating the sexual harassment policy of the department.
