Sexual harassment in the workplace is in the news often lately, with several incidents reported in the entertainment industry as well as various levels of government. In addition, the educational sector is not immune to allegations of sexual abuse. A situation involving whistleblowing after reporting alleged sexual harassment at the University of Wisconsin at Platteville should soon be resolved.
In 2012, a female Criminal Justice professor told university administrators that a fellow professor had sexually harassed a student. The professor claims that she has faced retaliation and discrimination on the job since that time. She states that she lost grant support and committee seats throughout the years that negatively impacted her career. She also reports that she was threatened and intimidated by department superiors.
However, the university claims that the professor acted unprofessionally while in the department. Faculty representatives stated that her behavior was detrimental to the effectiveness of the workplace. Administrators were troubled by the professor’s so-called disrespectful attitude.
The professor had been prohibited from being on the Platteville campus and in the classroom. She had been allowed to teach a class at the Milwaukee campus; however, the contract for teaching at that location has since been terminated. The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System will determine whether or not the professor will ultimately get to keep her job and retain her tenure.
There are whistleblowing laws in place to protect employees who identify inappropriate or illegal activities in the workplace. If a person has faced retaliation or discrimination after notifying management of these activities, it would be helpful to contact a Wisconsin employment law attorney. An experienced lawyer can help clients keep or be reinstated in their jobs and restore lost wages.
Source: maciverinstitute.com, “Whistleblower UW-Platteville Professor Takes Her Case To UW Regents“, Matt Kittle, May 9, 2018