~ Was told 'Bring no boyfriend, wear high heels, thongs' ~
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad--After declining to attend an "immoral" Christmas pool party hosted by her work supervisor, Sharlon Fernandez said she endured two years of sexual harassment and victimisation at the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) before eventually being fired late last year.
The THA has now been challenged to state exactly what policies and procedures are in place to protect employees from sexual harassment at the workplace.
Attorney Martin George has written a letter dated January 23 to Dr Ellis Burris, THA's Chief Administrator, calling for him to outline the specific measures adopted by the THA to prevent sexual harassment.
The letter to Burris is as a result of allegations made by Fernandez.
During a staff meeting in November 2009, Fernandez said she was informed by her supervisor, Elvis Radgman, that he would be hosting his annual Christmas pool party.
Radgman is a dance co-ordinator in the Culture Department at the THA. Fernandez was his assistant.
Fernandez said she was informed that the dress code for the party was in the form of "bikini, tankini, thong underwear and high heeled shoes," the letter stated.
She was "informed that no boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands or wives of staff members were allowed at the party and that whatever happened in the party stayed in the party."
Fernandez "objected to her involvement in what she perceived to be an immoral activity and it was after voicing her objection that the victimisation began," the letter stated.
Radgman ordered Fernandez to leave his office "at once".
Radgman "began speaking rudely and obscenely" towards Fernandez whenever he had to assign duties to her.
He eventually stopped involving Fernandez "in work activities at all and instead ignored her totally."
Fernandez complained to the authorities about Radgman's "sexist and inappropriate behaviour towards her which falls within the classification of sexual harassment behaviour towards her and it has all been to no avail", the letter stated.
Fernandez did not receive salary for three months and blamed it on the fact that she refused to "submit and subject herself to the sexual harassment of Mr Radgman."
She was eventually dismissed on December 30 last year.
Fernandez claims she "was given no reason for her dismissal and unfair treatment by the Division save for the fact that she stood up to and resisted and challenged the inappropriate behaviour and sexual harassment of one of her superiors."
George has written to determine what steps the THA took to protect Fernandez's "integrity and dignity."
The THA has been given seven days to respond.
"Should you not provide these things within seven days we shall assume you either have no such policy in place or if you do, then you took no active steps to protect the rights of this worker in this instance and we shall then seek to bring a class-type action against the THA as a body to ensure that the THA either implements and/or actively polices and enforces a strict policy and code of conduct against the sexual harassment of its employees for their benefit and protection," the letter stated. (Trinidad Express)
