HARRISBURG - Gov. Josh Shapiro's office has agreed to pay $295,000 to settle a sexual harassment complaint against a top aide, according to records obtained by Spotlight PA through a public records request. The settlement, which was signed on Sept. 5, comes after the advisor, Mike Vereb, resigned from his position as Shapiro's liaison to the state legislature.

The settlement, which will be funded using public dollars, includes a controversial confidentiality clause preventing both parties from discussing the allegations against Vereb. The woman who filed the complaint accused Vereb of making inappropriate, crude, and sexually suggestive comments during her brief tenure as his subordinate earlier this year.

Confidentiality clauses have faced criticism for perpetuating a culture of silence and hindering survivors from reporting misconduct, particularly in the wake of the #MeToo movement.

Vereb has chosen not to comment on the allegations, which became public following his sudden resignation.

According to Shapiro spokesperson Manuel Bonder, the settlement does not admit guilt or wrongdoing on the part of the governor's office and denies liability for the woman's allegations. Bonder highlighted the common practice of settling complaints due to the high cost and lengthy duration of litigation.

The settlement will be funded partly by the state's Employee Liability Self-Insurance Program, with $250,000 allocated for this purpose. The remaining $45,000 will be covered by Shapiro's office. Additionally, nearly $100,000 of the settlement will be paid to the lawyers representing the complainant.

As part of the settlement, the governor's office has agreed to provide sexual harassment training to all members of its policy and legislative affairs staff.

Notably, between 2010 and 2019, state officials paid over $3.2 million in taxpayer funds to resolve over two dozen sexual harassment complaints against government and public employees. One such settlement involved state House Democrats paying $250,000 in 2019 to settle a sexual harassment complaint, which also included a nondisclosure agreement.

Vereb and Shapiro have a long-standing political alliance dating back to their tenure in the state House. Despite their differing party affiliations, Vereb was appointed to Shapiro's staff when he became attorney general in 2016, and later when Shapiro formed his gubernatorial staff.

The complainant, who worked for Shapiro's office for just over a month, filed a complaint with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission in May. In her complaint, she described instances of misconduct, some of which she claims were witnessed by other administration members.

Two former administration employees, who asked to remain anonymous, stated that they were interviewed by an investigator from the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and shared concerns about the complainant's allegations.

The settlement also includes a provision that bars the complainant from seeking future employment in Shapiro's office and executive agencies under his authority during his gubernatorial tenure.