A jury has awarded $2.2 million to a woman who says she was fired from her job working for Republicans in the Iowa Senate because she complained about being harassed.
Kirsten Anderson was the communications director for the Iowa Senate Republican Caucus Staff. Her superiors said Anderson was fired for inferior work. She filed a wrongful termination lawsuit. A jury has agreed with the argument that Anderson was fired for complaining about the lewd and sexist behavior she experienced during her five years on the job.
During the trial, other co-workers backed up Anderson’s assertions about the vulgar things that went on in the office. A male co-worker testified that he overheard a Republican senator ask Pam Dugdale, another female on the Iowa Senate GOP Caucus staff, about the physical details of her breasts and the remark was made on the senate floor.
Anderson testified another male analyst in the office made remarks about the length of the skirts worn by high school girls who worked as senate pages.