folkbum's rambles and rants

Manuel “Manny” Perez - Former Wisconsin Dept. of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary

Alleged Inappropriate Conduct at the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD)

Silence from Scott Walker Administration on Allegations

Update: In request to a question, employees experiencing retaliation for indicating a hostile workplace on behalf of a fellow employee enjoy an actionable cause of action in a civil rights complaint if she or he is retaliated against.

- via mal

Amid the allegations [denied] of sexual harassment against Herman Cain, come allegations of sexual harassment of a former Walker cabinet official who resigned suddenly in May 2011.

Unlike Herman Cain, Walker administration officials contacted refuse to disavow the allegations, declining an opportunity to knock down a potentially destructive political development just days before the start of the Nov. 15 recall effort against Scott Walker






But Perez, two Walker spokesmen, including a DWD spokeman, contacted refused to knock down the allegations, ala Herman Cain.

This writer can't buy a, 'this is total bs, no-basis-in-fact' quote.

Perez

Contacted by phone Friday, Manuel “Manny” Perez was asked and e-mailed the following questions:

• Were you contacted by anyone at DWD regarding a workplace complaint regarding Ms Allison Rozek and you during your tenure as DWD Sec?
• Can you knock down the allegation that Ms Allison Rozek made a workplace complaint that you dealt with during your tenure as DWD Sec?

Perez refused to knock down the allegation of sexual harassment and a workplace complaint, referring this writer to past media statements pointing to opportunities in the private sector and his having accomplished much in a very short period of time in his tenure at the DWD, as the reason he left.

Perez avoided addressing the two questions above asked vocally and by e-mail of him.

His response e-mail received late Friday afternoon reads: "I have already stated publicly the reasons for my leaving DWD," again avoiding the question of whether there was a workface complaint  ... period.

Rozek

Asked about the alleged harassment through an e-mail, repeated phone calls, and through a receptionist's message, Rozek did not respond to the queries.

No direct communication was ever made with Rozek for this story.

Rozek departed suddenly in late October under circumstances that left a DWD spokesman unable to say whether she resigned or was fired, as was reported in the Green Bay Press Gazette.

Rozek reportedly submitted no letter of resignation.

Worth reiterating that if Rozek were a victim, it is hardly upon her to affirmatively proceed to anyone with any allegation. A victim has no legal obligation to bring matters before the state, an employer, or in offenses of a more serious nature, other officials.


Perez’s resignation came in May, some four months after he was appointed to the high-profile post by Gov. Scott Walker.


Perez told the Hispanic News Network that he felt "the time is right to pursue other opportunities in the private sector knowing that the Department of Workforce Development is moving in the right direction and that we have accomplished great things together in a very short period of time."

But the news was widely greeted with groans and disbelief.

Wrote Blogging Blue on May 12: "I can’t wait to hear the real reason why Manny Perez resigned, because I’m betting there’s more to this story than Manny Perez has simply decided he should be 'exploring business opportunities.'"

"The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Perez stated he was escorted out of DWD headquarters on his last day as part of normal procedure to prevent theft by departing executives, but later recanted his account," noted WKOW's Inside Scoop (May 25).

[Updated Note: Perez said to me that the security escort was precipitated as a routine precaution regarding a "bomb threat" that day; in an on-the-record quote.]











Asked about the lack of acknowledgement of what the WKOW report queried was a “workplace complaint,” the DWD employee said sarcastically, “That’s a shocker. No one [at DWD] is going to want to talk to you about it [sexual harassment allegations].”

The full quote of Gov. Walker's comments on the governor's press release entitled, "Department of Workforce Development Secretary Manny Perez to Return to the Private Sector," reads:

Questions remain


How about a 'this unnamed source has it all wrong.'?

Labels: Allison Rozek, corruption in scott walker administration, Herman Cain, Manuel “Manny” Perez, Sexual harasment Scott Walker Administration