Massachusetts

Former Town Employee Paid to Keep Quiet About Investigation

A town employee in Hingham, Massachusetts, was paid $86,500 in a settlement to resign and stay quiet about an investigation that allegedly details sexual harassment.

The city employee has since resigned. Taxpayer money funded the settlement.

Former Hingham Selectman candidate Russell Reeves alleges the harassed employee was a woman who worked with the fire department and that she'd been harassed by a captain in the department. Some Hingham residents are displeased with the harassment allegations and their tax dollars going towards keeping the alleged victim quiet.

"What's the message being sent to other town employees?" asked Tom Patch, who has lived in Hingham for more than 20 years. "'OK, you can do this. We'll use taxpayer money to get rid of the issue, and don't worry about it.'"

"There's plenty of people out there that that really strikes home," said another Hingham resident named Patricia. "The #MeToo. And it's time. It's time that people spoke up."

The settlement states if the former employee discusses the investigation, it could prohibit her from receiving the payout.

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