JUANETTE Sablan, the human resources director of the Saipan Mayor’s Office, wants to “set the record straight” regarding the sexual harassment allegations of Mary Ann Borja.
The former grant writer of the Saipan Mayor’s Office, Borja submitted her resignation letter to Sablan, citing “the unsafe work environment where sexual harassment has become a routine and relentless problem.”
In an official statement issued on Oct. 6, Sablan said “there have been allegations and discussions regarding my role as the HR director for the Saipan Mayor’s Office in connection with accusations of alleged sexual harassment.”
“I believe it is imperative to address these allegations openly and transparently to set the record straight,” Sablan added.
She said on the morning of Sept. 14, Borja “approached me with verbal accusations of ‘sexual harassment’ directed towards the mayor and some other individuals. [She] herself acknowledged that some of these interactions were, in her own words, mere jokes and that she did not take them seriously. It is worth noting that she also admitted to engaging in similar banter.
“Nevertheless, I treated her complaint with the utmost seriousness, in line with our commitment to ensuring a safe and harassment-free workplace,” Sablan said.
Upon Borja’s request, Sablan said she promptly took the following actions:
“I spoke to the Mayor immediately after she had left the office, as she had requested. This demonstrates my commitment to addressing the issue promptly.
“I posted the ‘Non-Tolerance of Sexual Harassment’ Policy & Procedure #1026-105 on our bulletin boards and conducted discussions with all staff to underscore the gravity of this policy. In addition to this, I included information from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on ‘What is employment discrimination?’ and the NMIAC Subpart C-Alcohol and Drug Free Workplace Policy. These materials have been posted, and employees have been duly informed.
“Without delay, I scheduled a meeting for the very next day, Sept. 15, 2023, between Ms. [Borja], myself, the Chief of Staff, and the Mayor to address the matter promptly. This meeting took place less than 24 hours from the time Ms. [Borja] came to my office with her verbal complaint. The meeting occurred on Sept. 15, 2023, at 9:30 a.m. At the end of this meeting, Ms. [Borja] expressed her appreciation for my responsiveness. She even expressed that she was happy and content that this problem was over and resolved. She further stated that we will not discuss this matter anymore. In fact, at the end of the meeting she even extended her hand and shook hands with the Mayor, signifying their mutual agreement that this matter had been resolved and signaling the intent to move forward and work collaboratively together. We all agreed that this matter will no longer be discussed after this meeting. As further assurance, I even inquired about her well-being just before we left the meeting. She explicitly stated, ‘Let’s put this matter to rest. I’m satisfied with my discussion with the Mayor, so let’s join hands and work together.’ With these statements and gestures, I genuinely believed that the matter had been resolved.”
Two weeks later, Borja “submitted her written complaint but without any mention whatsoever that we all had a meeting and that this matter had already been resolved,” Sablan said.
“I was completely stunned by this and left with so many unanswered questions in my mind. Furthermore, I initiated a thorough investigation by interviewing all employees, both male and female, to ascertain if they felt threatened, retaliated against, sexually harassed, or intimidated while working at the Saipan Mayor’s Office. The feedback I received was clear: our staff do not share Ms. [Borja’s] sentiments, with some even suggesting that her claims appear unfounded,” Sablan said.
“In addition to these efforts, I have reached out to other agencies to explore training programs that can assist our employees in managing stress, mental health, and adult mental health first aid, among other topics. While the dates for these programs are pending confirmation, we are actively working to ensure the participation of interested employees. Lastly, I want to emphasize that the HR Division within the Saipan Mayor’s Office takes all policies, including the Sexual Harassment Policy, extremely seriously. Our commitment to maintaining a safe, respectful, and inclusive workplace for all remains unwavering. It is essential to clarify these details to ensure a fair and informed perspective on the situation. We are dedicated to addressing any concerns and upholding the highest standards of professionalism within our organization,” Sablan said.
