We’ve been following the somewhat bizarre developments of the sex harassment scandal in the office of the Ohio Attorney General.  (Click here, here, here and here for previous posts.)

Yesterday’s Columbus Dispatch makes even more clear what went wrong.  Not only did the Attorney General’s office try to brush aside the two complaints that eventually, excruciatingly led to the recent firings and resignations of employees in the Attorney General’s office, another sex harassment complaint had been made five months earlier–with the same result.  Nothing.

When a complaint of sexual harassment is made, an investigation must begin.  If the investigation determines that the harassment has occurred, remedial action must be taken.  You can’t ignore the complaint.  You can’t transfer the complaining parties and do nothing to the alleged harasser.

The human resources department was in a difficult spot in this case.  The alleged harasser was a good friend of the Attorney General.  When HR sent the matter to the Attorney General and his chief of staff, nothing came back.  As impractical and suicidal as it may sound, an HR professional must keep pushing, even when it involves the top dog or his best friend.  You can’t just say, “Well, I guess that’s that.”

If you continue to get no response, you’ve got to take it to a “higher power.”  I’m not sure how that would work in state government in Ohio, but it should have been done.  It would have been nightmarish.  HR would have been going over the top dog’s head, risking the loss of a job and perhaps worse.  As it has turned out, another worse case scenario is playing out.  The top law enforcement lawyer’s office is in turmoil, and the governor, other officials and newspapers across the state are calling for the Attorney General’s resignation.  (Click here and here for more.)

If you ignore or allow the powers that be to ignore a sexual harassment complaint, something bad will happen.  Write that down.