European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 11, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sexual harassment gains attention across Ameri Caby Leslie Dreyfous a National writer controversy has a Way of receding As fast As it explodes but the televised Thomas Hill hearings that so riveted the nation last month stirred something deeper than passing interest. Sexual harassment remains a hot topic weeks later the focus of discussion and activism in statehouse and offices on College campuses and main streets around the country. Quot a lot of eyes have been opened a lot of people Woken up Quot said Kansas state rep. Joann Pottorff chairman elect of the women s network of the National conference of state Legislatures. Quot there s too much anger to let it drop. Quot complaints and inquiries received by women s Quot organizations and equal employment Opportunity offices have surged since Anita Hill publicly accused Clarence Thomas of sexually harassing her. Thomas who denied Hill s claims is now settling in on the supreme court. But the harassment Issue is still swirling. A a it a been employee asking for pamphlets and brochures. People calling to ask about a colleague s situation. People calling about their own work situation Quot said Pat Gambill an officer at the Minnesota department of human rights in St. Paul. Activists May be most encouraged that Long simmering Legal measures against harassment Are moving to the front Burner. Quot people Are really digging to find out what s on the books what s not and where changes need to be made Quot said Brenda Trolin program director at the National conference of state Legislatures in Denver. In recent years five states asked the organization for information on Federal and state sexual harassment Laws. Over the past two weeks such requests poured in from 35 states. Quot it s one of those things we should have done Long ago Quot gov. Judd Gregg of new Hampshire said after asking the attorney general s office to draft a sexual harassment policy for state employees. In Pennsylvania lawmakers offered a Bill allowing victims of sexual harassment to seek compensation for pain and suffering. An Ohio state senator introduced legislation to strengthen and expand current  action line Mainz worker bemoans personnel office move 0 it is time that Usa eur rethought its idea of consolidating its civilian personnel offices. The person or persons responsible for moving Wiesbaden Mainz co to Baum older have created a situation which is detrimental to All of the civilian personnel in the Wiesbaden Mainz area the first problem encountered was the inability to properly staff the co without proper staffing the co is unable to handle the work Load and is constantly getting further behind and even with closing for All outside business the last two Days of the week cannot get its backlog Down. With stacks of paperwork All Over this has led to the loss of much correspondence and hardship to the employees who Are waiting for personnel actions. Why was the co moved to an area of Low population density where it is almost impossible to recruit the necessary personnel to staff the offices and an area that is relatively inaccessible to most of the personnel served by the co without their having to take a full Day of annual leave in order to take care of urgent personnel actions in my Case correspondence has been sent from the Frankfurt co twice never to be received by the Baum older co addressee correspondence that i personally sent has never reached its destination even Quot it s time to take a hard look at an Issue that continues to show up in our workplace institutions of higher learning and government systems Quot said state rep. Karen Ritter a co sponsor of the Pennsylvania Bill. When the . Senate last month passed an expanded civil rights Bill it included a provision allowing victims of sexual harassment to seek damages up to fixed limits. Before they could Only get Back pay. Amanita Hill Ahmad tha spot Light on a dual harassment in tha workplace. Though it was sent by courier from my workplace. Although there is a satellite co Here in Mainz the personnel have their hands tied As they can do nothing until the offices at Baum older take the necessary actions. George a. Dumcke Mainz Germany a . Schuler civilian personnel officer 53rd area support group Baum older replies we appreciate the Opportunity to discuss the civilian personnel consolidation and the role of the co service centers. The consolidation of pos was necessary because of the changing Structure in Europe. With the reduction in the size of our work Force and the closing of some communities we can no longer afford to maintain operating pos in All communities. The decision to locate the civilian personnel office for Baum older bad Kreuz Nach and Mainz in Baum older was based on the fact that 50 percent of the total civilian work Force is in the Baum older area. Baum older also has a Large recruitment base. It is True that the co has not been fully staffed and that this has had an Impact on the Quality of service we have been Able to provide. As with other organizations throughout Usa eur the civilian personnel office has had a significant turnover of personnel due to the loss of family members who have left the area at the same time we were in the process of reorganizing to the regional civilian personnel office Structure and establishing service centers in bad Kreuz Nach and Mainz filling our positions and training our new employees has been one and two Days before passing the legislation the Senate adopted a non binding Resolution condemning sexual harassment and promising to consider changes in Law and rules of the Senate to prevent such abuse. Quot it s going to be part of this years Campaign language and candidates for Public office Are going to want to come across As sensitive informed and Able to handle the Issue Quot said Ruth Mandel of the Center for the american woman and politics at Rutgers University in new Brunswick . Sexual harassment is gaining attention on the local level too. In Kansa City mo., for instance a City ordinance was recently adopted to allow sexual harassment complaints to be pursued in municipal court. Quot a lot of people who were afraid to come Forward before have now decided differently Quot said Herbert Siegel a lawyer in Buffalo n.y., who said he received about 30 Calls from prospective plaintiffs seeking to press sexual harassment cases. Quot they still have the same fears Quot Siegel said Quot but they re much More  still Many people hang Back. Anita Hills experience however empowering for Many women Long silent was also a cautionary tale. In the College dorm and around the workplace the Issue is alive but no less scary. Ann Hatch a spokeswoman at Texas woman a University in Denton said sexual harassment has been the topic of Quot every lunch conversation and Coffee break a a catalyst for people to  that s All to the Good she said. But the new Candor also Means those who speak out May be Quot grilled or not believed Quot she said. Men and women alike need a and want a clarity on the rules. Businesses especially want help defining and dealing with sexual harassment say women a groups and government fair employment agencies. Many say they Are swamped with requests for pamphlets sensitivity training and guidelines for grievance procedures just in Case. Quot it s been an education for a lot of people Quot said Michael l. Goodman program director at the Cornell University school of labor relations in new York Quot you can hear it in conversation especially among males who Are saying geez i did t know i was doing anything wrong Quot of our priorities. We expect to be fully staffed by the Middle of november. We recognize that our service centers As our first Contact Point and Liaison to the co for our customers need our full support. We Are confident that As the pos and service centers Are fully staffed and the new employees trained our customers will be Able to handle All of their Day to Day needs locally and receive the same level of responsible service that they would receive from a Community co. Communication with our customers in outlying areas has been difficult during the reorganization. However Tel fax and defense data network lines Are now in place place and Are used to augment Telephone Contact courier service and regular staff assistance visits to the service centers. We appreciate the patience and support of our customers while we work to give the Best service possible. To write us readers action line is the readers Quot court of last resort striving to answer some of the questions about life overseas in a military environment or questions about policies and guidelines when other avenues for answers Are not readily available. If you have a question and Don t know where to turn for the answer write to readers action line co the stars and stripes Apo a 09211. All letters must be signed and preference will be Given to those seeking information of general interest to our readers. Page 16 a the stars and stripes monday november 11, 1991