Earlier this year, the clerk of Haddon Heights, New Jersey filed a complaint against the incoming mayor. According to her, he had touched her inappropriately at least once and harassed her on several other occasions. The sexual harassment complaint was made to the borough council and it later became a civil rights complaint with the state. Both the borough council and the New Jersey Attorney General’s office were investigating the allegations.

The situation was not made public until October. Adequate changes have not been made, according to the 32-year-old woman. Because of this, she recently tendered her resignation as borough clerk. Her last day will occur before the mayor-elect takes over and directly oversees her position. After making a statement regarding the news of her resignation, the mayor-elect officially denied the allegations made by the borough clerk for the first time.

Since her allegations were made to the council, she says that the new mayor-a current councilman-has made her job increasingly more difficult by undermining her authority and interfering with her responsibilities as clerk. She says that he has regularly questioned her decisions as well, creating a hostile work environment.

The 32-year-old was not only borough clerk. She doubled as the public safety officer and operations manager. By resigning, she is relinquishing a $70,000 annual salary. She will not receive severance, but may receive some benefits, according to two councilmen.

In order to keep the transition smooth, the deputy borough clerk has been appointed as acting clerk to cover the absence of the 32-year-old. Haddon Heights is currently looking for a replacement for her and will be appointing a new safety officer next month.

Source: Courier-Post, “Haddon Heights clerk quits over alleged harassment,” Jeremy Rosen, Dec. 9, 2011