The HR office was aware of Sen. Tony Mendoza’s alleged sexual misconduct with the student fellow in September last year. The office should have placed Mendoza on leave or move the student, but instead Senate leaders left the student in Mendoza’s office for an additional six weeks.
Mendoza is alleged to have repeatedly asked, verbally and by text, the student to come to his house. Mendoza also is alleged to have invited the student to his hotel room at a casino resort. The student finally left that office Nov. 6 and started working for another senator, but HR and employment law experts say the Senate acted way too late.
“A truly independent professional who is investigating a complaint of sexual harassment is not going to handle things the way it appears this information was handled,” says Genie Harrison, a Los Angeles-based trial attorney.