A male probation officer in Gloucester County, New Jersey has filed a lawsuit against his former colleagues alleging that females at the probation office in Cumberland County where he used to work sexually harassed him. He also alleges that the women made him the subject of job-related criticism upon learning that he had reported their behavior.
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The suit was filed in Mantua Township on July 17th states that the officer reported the harassment several times but was always ignored. He also filed a report with the Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action office, but after a full nine months of waiting he still has not heard back from the office regarding the issue.
The State of New Jersey and its judiciary, as well as four female employees of the court system in Cumberland County have been named by the officer as defendants. The plaintiff, Michael Binkley, was an investigator with the courts’ criminal division when he says the alleged harassment took place. Binkley was recently promoted to the position of probation officer and is currently going to law school per his career goals.
His employment with Cumberland County began in January of 2013 and from the first day, he says, the harassment came on heavy and often. The suit alleges that Binkley was bombarded with comments about his body and suggestions by the female colleagues that they show him their breasts. They would also allegedly gather around his desk and tell him about their favorite sexual positions and “interrogate him with questions about his personal life.”
Despite what the suit calls near constant daily harassment, Binkley continued to work hard and was eventually promoted to probation officer with a significant pay increase. He filed a complaint with the EEO/AA office in late October of 2013 but after the nine months of silence by the office, he went ahead and filed the lawsuit.