Over two months after Thurston County Commissioner Emily Clouse was suspended from some of her duties by her seatmates, questions remain about her alleged conduct and the legal trouble the county may be facing.

The commission voted to suspend Clouse from her appointed boards and commissions on Aug. 13 and promised in a Sept. 6 letter to release a final report on the investigation. The investigation reportedly concerns a workplace-dating relationship between Clouse and a county employee.

So far, the county has declined to say when the final report may be released, leaving the public to piece together details from statements by commissioners and Clouse’s attorney as well as reported information leaks.

In the meantime, The Olympian has reviewed the county’s personnel rules and spoken with two area attorneys to get an idea of how a workplace-dating relationship may lead to legal liability for employers.

What does the law say about workplace dating?

State and federal law don’t directly address dating between two consenting employees, but it does prohibit sexual harassment, which is unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature, according to the Washington State Office of the Attorney General. As such, employers may be liable for this behavior between employees if they do not act to address it.

Julie Anne Oberbillig, an Olympia-based employment attorney, said state and federal law recognizes that there is a power imbalance between managers and employees.

“If the harassment is done by a...

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