A supervisor at Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital was charged with sexually harassing and inappropriate touching several of his female employees.
Edward Howard, 67, of County Club Hills, faces four counts of misdemeanor battery in connection to the ongoing investigation, the Cook County sheriff’s office said in a statement.
After one employee reported Howard to the company’s human resources department for alleged abuse, detectives found three other female employees who said they were harassed, the sheriff’s office said. They allegedly told investigators that Howard touched them inappropriately and subjected them to inappropriate sexual comments.
Howard, who was chief of central supplies at the hospital, was released after posting 10% of a $4,000 bail.
The alleged abuse happened between November 2020 and January 2021, the sheriff’s office said. Three of the alleged victims said they didn’t immediately report the abuse because they feared retaliation from Howard.
A spokesperson for Hines VA did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Howard’s next court date was set for May 5.
