Kaskinen hires outside lawyer to assess mayor’s conduct

The City of Kaskinen hired an outside lawyer to assess allegations of inappropriate conduct by Mayor Markku Lumio, Yle reports. The city’s executive board has issued Lumio a reprimand over his conduct.

Three women have described behaviour they considered overly familiar, including comments about their appearance, hugging and messages. Two of the women are city employees and the third is an elected official.

Lawyer Jyri Nikander prepared the assessment based on informal memos in which city employees described the incidents. He did not interview the women or Lumio.

“Our group listened to the women and the mayor and decided that we were quite inexperienced in this situation. We wanted outside help with it,” Jan-Anders Lundenius, chair of the city’s executive board, told Yle.

Lundenius said he believed the people involved had been heard in the matter.

Nikander wrote that it was unclear whether Lumio could have understood that his behaviour was unwelcome. No previous reports of inappropriate conduct had been submitted through the city’s reporting channel, for example, and no occupational safety report had been filed.

He recommended that the executive board discuss the matter with Lumio and, if necessary, issue a reprimand to help change and correct his conduct.

Repeated compliments can cross the line

Nikander wrote that the women and Lumio remembered some events similarly and others differently. Lumio acknowledged one matter and said it was his mistake. The assessment does not specify which matter he meant.

Lumio has also said that he is prepared to apologise if his behaviour and actions have caused offence.

Nikander said that even positive expressions and comments about someone’s appearance can cross the line into harassment or inappropriate conduct at work. Such attention becomes harassment if it continues after the person targeted indicates that they find it unpleasant.

The assessment notes that, under the law, an employer must ensure that harassment and inappropriate conduct do not occur in the workplace.

Nikander also noted that a mayor is in an exceptional position compared with other municipal officeholders because the municipal council can dismiss the mayor or transfer them to other duties if they have lost the council’s confidence. However, the assessment says the current situation is unlikely to be such a case.

It also states that an officeholder cannot be dismissed unless there is a proper and serious reason. Even then, the officeholder must first be given an opportunity to correct their conduct through a warning.