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News
Sheriff: Sex harassment policies now stronger : News : Oswego Ledger-Sentinel : Hometown Newspaper for Oswego and Montgomery, IllinoisSheriff: Sex harassment policies now stronger
| Randall, chief deputy say all reported incidents taken seriously
| by Matt Schury
| 1/17/2013
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Kendall County Sheriff Richard Randall said his office's policies and procedures to prevent employee sexual harassment, intimidation and discrimination have continued to "evolve" since he first took office 26 years ago.
Randall noted that the office policies were tightened in 2009 after a lawsuit was filed against then-Kendall County Chief Deputy Terry Tichava. The suit was settled out of court in 2010. Last month, the office was named in two more lawsuits alleging sexual harassment.
Meeting with the Ledger-Sentinel last week, Randall and County Chief Deputy Scott Koster reviewed some of the department's sexual harassment policies and procedures.
They also stated that employees have the right to report such incidents confidentially and those reports are taken seriously whether substantiated or not.
Randall said his office requires employees to attend an "extraordinary" amount of anti-harassment and discrimination training.
In 2011 and 2012, staff members at the rank of sergeant or above took 756 online "modules" of training about sexual harassment and discrimination.
Koster said the office is sensitive to the employees' rights to have a fair working environment. Randall said that his office reviewed already stringent policies in 2009 and continues to strengthen them.
Included in those changes in 2010 was a form that employees must review and sign each year. In addition to asking if they have read the department's policy and procedures, it asks if they are aware of any behavior in the workplace or outside it that is inconsistent with the policy.
The office has 130 full time employees who are required to take the training annually through the Kendall County State's Attorney's office and from the county's insurance provider, Illinois Risk Management Trust.
Additionally, supervisors meet individually with employees annually to go over policies and procedures.
Koster said that people have the right to have things looked into, to foster a culture of openness. To that end, Randall said his office has an open door policy in place that allows any employee to schedule a meeting with him to discuss harassment concerns.
In a memo, Randall wrote that he is "accessible to every member of this office to assist with any problem or complaint they cannot solve themselves."
An employee can schedule an appointment with Randall, "though I encourage communication between an employee and their first line of supervisor ...the employee does not have to inform anyone of the reason why he/she wants to talk to me."
Last month, two lawsuits were filed by former Kendall County Sheriff's Department employees claiming sexual harassment by male supervisors and co-workers. In the suits, Nichole Porus and Amber M. Christoffel Slaughter say they performed their jobs as Sheriff's deputies and correctional officers satisfactorily.
In 2010, the County Board voted unanimously to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by a former employee of the office against former Chief Deputy Terry Tichava. With attorney's fees, the settlement was estimated to have cost $381,000. Tichava retired in 2010.
Randall and Koster said they couldn't comment on the pending lawsuits nor the settlement involving Tichava, per the terms of the agreement.
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