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SCHENECTADY — Stephen Signore, the longtime Schenectady County public defender, has been ordered to complete additional training after an investigation determined he violated the county’s sexual harassment policy.
Signore was issued a written warning and ordered to complete additional training in the “areas of sexual harassment in the workplace and additional supervisory training” on May 23 following an investigation that began after a sexual harassment complaint was filed against him on Feb. 24.
A two-sentence report completed after the investigation, which was conducted by the county manager’s office and county attorney’s office, determined Signore violated the county’s sexual harassment prevention policy when he made “statements regarding a hot tub in the office.”
It’s unclear when Signore made the remarks or what he was referring to. Signore, a former Rotterdam Town Board member, did not return a request seeking comment.
County Attorney Christopher Gardner declined to release the complaint against Signore because releasing the document “would constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy,” and constitute an “inter-agency and intra-agency” material that is not applicable under the state’s Freedom of Information Law, he said.
Gardner also declined to discuss the complaint, but noted the investigation could not substantiate much of it.
“Much of the complaint was found not to be founded; one portion was found to be founded,” he said. “A lot of different employees were interviewed and that is what we came up with. We take prevention of sexual harassment very seriously, and a thorough investigation was done, and we believe appropriate remedial action is being taken.”
Gardner said that Signore has never been accused of anything in his more-than-30 years as a county employee, which includes a stint in the county attorney’s office
“He has a long and distinguished career,” said Gardner, who added that the county is “hoping nothing like this happens again.”
It’s not the first time a high-ranking county employee has been accused of misconduct in recent months.
Last year, Kathryn Valley, the former director of clinical services at the county-owned Glendale Home, sued the county, alleging she was discriminated against for having a medical condition and was fired in retaliation for raising concerns about cost-saving measures implemented at the nursing home.
The lawsuit, which remains pending, claims that the county refused to provide accommodations for Valley’s medical condition during the pandemic, and that she was terminated after raising concerns about a policy implemented by the nursing home’s medical director, Ali Mirza, that reduced the number of antidepressants and vitamins for nursing home residents.
In a separate matter, a former employee with the county’s sheriff’s office, Ileen Varno, filed a sexual harassment lawsuit last February against the county, Sheriff Dominic Dagostino, Undersheriff James Barrett and Patrol Lt. Michael Geraci, claiming she was subjected to a hostile and sexist work environment and was terminated while on medical leave for reporting the abuse.
The county has denied any wrongdoing in both cases, which remain pending.
Contact reporter Chad Arnold at: [email protected] or by calling 518-395-3120.
Categories: -News-, Email Newsletter, News, Rotterdam, Schenectady, Schenectady County
