Roger Sutton - should he have resigned?

**Grumph** · 18th November 2014, 12:36

Originally Posted by Berries

Tut tut. Had a few have we Roger?

Sadly, no....But having worked in a branch of the public service where men were outnumbered, I'm well aware of what happens, the process and the consequences. I can guarantee you that pretty well everyone at CERA will know everything about this case - but I can also guarantee that everyone will have been reminded they signed the standard confidentiality/official secrets type document.
However, by what i hear on the radio, leaks are happening already.

Roger will have been obliged to go public on the resignation - and the reasons. He's being very careful what he says hence the wife chipping in.

**Banditbandit** · 18th November 2014, 12:45

Originally Posted by PrincessBandit

A lot of it comes down to two factors - one, the perception of public behaviour and expectations and two, the motive behind the complaint.
Unfortunately being touchy-feely (his wife's phrase, which she was happy about) is not a highly desirable trait in leaders, especially when combined with a kickback attitude. Complaints can also be made from a variety of motives and it only takes one person to take offense and decide to "do something about it". When you think about 'how many complaints does it take before something becomes serious' I guess there are a number of issues where the answer is 'only one'. Whether this is one of them, I don't know. Lots of women take stuff in good humour, others are easily offended (and if you combine that with the prospect of financial gain or public embarrassment for the alleged perpetrator) then ..............it's a damned difficult road for a bloke to tread.
Having said that, the higher up the totem pole you are the more scrupulous your behaviour probably needs to be.

Yes. Exactly. And often men who harras do not sexually harras all women - just a select few. That means the it does not take multiple offences with different women to make a case ..

Maybe she just did not feel comfortable working around him, or for him - and decided to take action. Who knows. But generally, if she was feeling sexually harrased, then that is important asnd needs to be dealt with.

Yes, he should have resigned - maybe he could have waited out the results of the investigation, maybe he could have worked out something with the complainant. He's taken the best option and resigned.

Originally Posted by Mike.Gayner

We don;t know ANY of the facts here. About the only thing we do know is that someone considered his conduct bad enough that she made a complaint and saw it right through to his resignation, and that someone saw fit to have him resign.

If his conduct really was as innocent as he claims, why hasn't he released the details of the complaint? He's entirely within his right to do so, but refuses to.

Yes. We don;t know enough to make a goosd judgement, just that there was a complaint (which must be taken seriously and investigated) and he has resigned.

Originally Posted by HenryDorsetCase

Note to self. Stop calling my young female legal exec "Sweetcheeks"

Good idea. If she goes the next one might complain ..

**mada** · 18th November 2014, 13:26

"

A former Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority worker has blasted the official investigation into accusations of sexual harassment by former chief executive Roger Sutton as "incompetent".

Mr Sutton resigned yesterday after a complaint that he harassed a senior female staff member by giving hugs and making inappropriate jokes and comments.

Former communications adviser Tina Nixon questioned whether "people really think that a hug was what it was all about".

"No woman in the public service should currently feel confident that any complaint would be investigated professionally and without bias," said Ms Nixon, who left Cera earlier this year to become economic development programme manager at Masterton District Council.

Cera operated the most "robust environment" she had experienced, in having worked in "half dozen or so" government departments.

Therefore, she said people needed to "get past the breathtaking PR snow job"."

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/n...ectid=11360487

Read like a major PR job as soon as I saw it. If he'd done what is being made out and was so innocent, there's not a shot in hell that he would be resigning.

Those high up in the management of public service often get away with much more than any low level plod would, case and point Katrina Bach in the story below. State Services Commission has proved itself time and time again as a toothless useless do sweet f all body.

"A Government department boss has received an official warning over allegations of verbal abuse and assault against a junior staff member"

http://tvnz.co.nz/politics-news/govt...-abuse-4843401

Like others have said, if he has nothing to hide I'm sure he'll support full disclosure of what the complaint alleges etc. Rather than having one side of the story played out in the media, as the complainant wont be able to say jack shit publicly due to a confidentiality clause and her employment agreement restricting her from talking to the media/bringing govt/her org into disrepute.

**haydes55** · 18th November 2014, 13:51

I wonder if she considered saying "Roger, I'd appreciate not being called sweety, and I don't like to have any physical contact with you or any other colleagues, thank you". Problem solved. If he continues, you know it's harassment and deliberate. Then report the action.

**Maha** · 18th November 2014, 14:30

I called Katman sweety once, he deleted me from his online friends list, damn he got me good.

**unstuck** · 18th November 2014, 15:10

My ex boss got done twice for sexual harassment, by 2 different women in the office. Apparently pulling a big black rubber cock out of your fly and saying things like "suck it baby" and other shit, is frowned upon. Cost him shitloads of cash. In the 3 years I was there, he had 6 or 7 PG's against him and 2 sexual harassment cases filed.

**Grubber** · 18th November 2014, 15:49

Originally Posted by unstuck

My ex boss got done twice for sexual harassment, by 2 different women in the office. Apparently pulling a big black rubber cock out of your fly and saying things like "suck it baby" and other shit, is frowned upon. Cost him shitloads of cash. In the 3 years I was there, he had 6 or 7 PG's against him and 2 sexual harassment cases filed.

Hmmmm....sounds like a nice enough bloke, what was the problem??

**unstuck** · 18th November 2014, 16:07

Originally Posted by Grubber

Hmmmm....sounds like a nice enough bloke, what was the problem??

Alcohol, and just generally an all round fuckwit.

**Coldrider** · 18th November 2014, 21:21

Originally Posted by mada

"

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/n...ectid=11360487

Read like a major PR job as soon as I saw it. If he'd done what is being made out and was so innocent, there's not a shot in hell that he would be resigning.

Sutton has been told by the State Services Commissioner that he has breached the confidentiality clause between the Commissioner, himself (Sutton) and the Complainant, so what is the full story here, a lot more or nothing much?

**mada** · 18th November 2014, 21:45

Originally Posted by Coldrider

Sutton has been told by the State Services Commissioner that he has breached the confidentiality clause between the Commissioner, himself (Sutton) and the Complainant, so what is the full story here, a lot more or nothing much?

We'll never know I guess, unless someone leaks the full report.

So far the only side we've heard is Suttons which ofcourse he would want to present himself in the best light - a hug may not seem bad, but then we know nothing about the situation, or context and setting its hard to judge for example, if he came up from behind the staff member and gave her a "hug", is that really appropriate? What if he had done that, then later on called her "sweetie". For the investigation to call it sexual misconduct, there's a bit more to it than just happy go lucky friendly banter.

The great thing for Sutton is that he'll only get a small part of severance pay docked, whereas the complainant can't say jack without risking her job.

**Coldrider** · 18th November 2014, 21:51

Originally Posted by mada

We'll never know I guess, unless someone leaks the full report.

So far the only side we've heard is Suttons which ofcourse he would want to present himself in the best light - a hug may not seem bad, but then we know nothing about the situation, or context and setting its hard to judge for example, if he came up from behind the staff member and gave her a "hug", is that really appropriate? What if he had done that, then later on called her "sweetie". For the investigation to call it sexual misconduct, there's a bit more to it than just happy go lucky friendly banter.

The great thing for Sutton is that he'll only get a small part of severance pay docked, whereas the complainant can't say jack without risking her job.

A spokes person for the Commissioner has said he meant 'serious misconduct', not 'sexual misconduct', the cracks are starting to appear.

**mada** · 18th November 2014, 21:54

Originally Posted by Coldrider

A spokes person for the Commissioner has said he meant 'serious misconduct', not 'sexual misconduct', the cracks are starting to appear.

That's the problem with the SSC they cant even get basic shit right with the facts they have on hand, which is why I have no confidence in their ability to do proper investigations.

Most useless govt. dept out of them all.

**Akzle** · 19th November 2014, 05:25

Originally Posted by mada

Most useless govt. dept out of them all.

, oh jeez, there's some pretty stiff competition for that title...

**Paul in NZ** · 19th November 2014, 06:26

The real problem is that he IS probably a good bloke and is obviously a really good leader BUT it appears that he has a stupid and inappropriate sense of humour.

I mean would you rather loose your best general half way through the war just because he made dodgy jokes??

There are limits of course but its a shame there is no system to steer people away from doing the dumb stuff earlier... I work with engineers - I mean some of them are as Asperger's AS and make the guys on The Big Bang Theory look like genuine social charmers but they are good guys to a T... Their social skills are zero...

The point I'm getting to is that we run the risk of everyone just being a socially acceptable nothing rather that encouraging a exceptionally talented but flawed people. It seems an awfully big hammer...