CA State Treasurer Fiona Ma Is Accused of Sexual Harassment, Racial Discrimination, and Wrongful Termination
California state Treasurer Fiona Ma repeatedly shared hotel rooms with employees, a practice she says saved money but that business experts contend crosses an ethical line and can lead to lawsuits like one Ma now faces, the Sacramento Bee reported Tuesday.
Judith Blackwell, the former head of the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee, sued Ma in July, alleging sexual harassment, racial discrimination and wrongful termination. Ma said the allegations are without merit.
Records obtained by the Bee show Ma shared a hotel room with her chief of staff, Genevieve Jopanda, 13 times over two years. She also stayed with four other aides at a three-bedroom property on a trip. There’s no policy in the state’s human resources manual on whether managers and staff can share hotel rooms.
