Burnet County adds teeth to harassment policy

The Burnet County Commissioners Court adopted a new harassment policy for its employee handbook, with an increased emphasis on discretion in investigations and disciplinary actions against perpetrators. 

The change comes on the heels of former county Judge James Oakley’s 2024 resignation following a state reprimand for sexual harassment.

The court unanimously approved the updated policy during its May 13 meeting. 

“Burnet County, number one, will take a hard stand against any kind of harassment or sexual harassment,” said county Judge Bryan Wilson, addressing the court and its audience. “We have done our best due diligence to figure out how to make (harassment) stop and how we deal with employees or even with each other as elected officials so that this pattern does not continue.”

The new policy (found here) is similar to the previous policy (here) but has more teeth when it comes to disciplining offenders and emphasizes discreetness, when possible, during investigations into harassment complaints. It also requires harassment prevention training every two years and includes a mandate that all Burnet County employees and elected officials receive copies and acknowledge the new policy.

The new policy includes the following changes:

• “Employees engaging in harassment and/or sexual harassment shall be subject to discipline, up to and including termination of employment. If an investigation reveals that an elected official has committed harassment or sexual harassment then the investigation report will be submitted to appropriate oversight entities.”
• “All claims of sexual harassment will be handled with discretion. While there can be no assurance of full confidentiality, every effort will be made to protect personal information.”
• “Once the investigation is complete, the employee making the claim shall be notified of the result of the investigation and any actions that are to be taken.”

Both the original and new policy make clear that harassment incidents should be immediately reported to the appropriate supervisor, or whomever the complainant is comfortable speaking with if their superior is part of the issue.

Judge Wilson did not make a direct connection between the new policy and the sexual harassment incidents surrounding the December resignation of Oakley following a public reprimand from the Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct. Oakley was found by the commission to have sexually harassed multiple women in Burnet County government, including Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace Lisa Whitehead.

One attendee of the May 13 meeting, Patricia Cope, did ask about the Oakley incident when the new policy was presented.

“After having gone through quite a bit of length of time of harassment with the previous judge, I’ve analyzed the policy that you attached to the agenda,” she told commissioners. “I’m curious, if a Burnet County department head is not suitable, employees can report to other people, but whose choice is it to report to other people? Is it the employee’s choice?”

Wilson responded.

“I think it is clearly stated that it is the employee’s opportunity to go to whoever they feel safe for,” he said. “The policy just states that if somebody does something to an employee that is uncomfortable, they should say so. At the end of the day, nothing in this policy will hold the victim accountable for their failure to do so.”

dakota@thepicayune.com