The West German Broadcasting Corporation (WDR) has terminated an employee for allegations of sexual harassment without notice. In recent weeks we have received new information from several interested parties, broadcaster shared. Even after consulting employee, accusations were considered credible and so serious that consequences had now been drawn.
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According to information from Stern magazine and Research Office Correctiv, employee is a television correspondent who is accused of harassment in several cases. Thus, allegations were known to WDR since April. At this stage, two women have accused correspondent of sexual harassment and abuse of power. The long-time employee of sender is said to have been called an “alpha-animal” in an e-mail to an employee and made her unambiguous offers. As head of a ARD international studio he should have shown a pornography to an intern on his laptop.
As a result, WDR had initially exempted employee until furr notice – for a warning or termination, however, accusations were not enough for broadcaster. Director Tom Buhrow commissioned in-house audit department to review and rework accusations. Meanwhile, former trade union chief Monika Wulf-Mathies is also examining how WDR in past has dealt with sexual harassment.
“I can imagine that it was a difficult step for those affected to get out of anonymity,” said WDR director Buhrow. “But this trust was crucial to Enlightenment process.”
