Governor Kim Reynolds today said the executive branch of state government has a “zero tolerance policy” when it comes to sexual harassment in the workplace, but it’s up to house and senate members to make those kind of policy decisions for the legislative branch.
“I don’t control them,” Reynolds said during her weekly news conference.
A week ago Reynolds said she was not aware of sexual harassment in the Iowa Senate during the two years she served as a Republican State Senator. A jury is currently deliberating in the case of Kirsten Anderson, the former communications director for Senate Republicans who says she was fired for complaining about harassment. Reynolds today was asked about testimony from Anderson’s coworkers that confirmed vulgar, sexist comments were common in the Senate GOP offices.
“I was not aware,” Reynolds told reporters. “Doesn’t mean it wasn’t happening.”
Reynolds said “every one” of the employees in the state’s executive branch must read the policy on harassment in the workplace and sign a document indicating they’ve read it. Jury deliberations in the wrongful termination lawsuit filed by former Senate GOP staffer Anderson began Monday and resumed today. Anderson’s bosses say she was fired after failing to improve her work, particularly the grammar she used in written documents.