An embattled Schuylkill County commissioner has been barred from entering the courthouse after allegations of sexual assault.

Commissioner George F. Halcovage Jr., who is the subject of a 2021 federal lawsuit alleging sexual and whose third term in office ends this week, is forbidden from entering the premises as of Thursday, Dec. 21.

That means he will not be able to physically attend his final commissioners’ public meeting today.

Halcovage did not respond to attempts to reach him for a response.

Commissioners Chairman Barron L. Hetherington said Tuesday that “another incident occurred, and county officials were sent a legal notice of intent to file a new lawsuit” against Halcovage.

“It’s a whole new suit,” Hetherington said.

“Although the incident is still an allegation, I felt it was necessary (to bar Halcovage) from the courthouse, as did (Commissioner Gary J.) Hess, to protect the employees and visitors to the courthouse.”

He did not disclose details of the incident.

Hetherington said he lost sleep over making the decision, but felt it was best for all concerned.

The new lawsuit, which had yet to be filed as of Tuesday, alleges sexual assault and harassment, he said.

Four women who work in the courthouse filed the first suit in March, 2021 in U.S. District Court, Scranton.

In the suit, the women, identified only as Jane Doe 1, Jane Doe 2, Jane Doe 3 and Jane Doe 4, accuse Halcovage of sexually harassing them from when he was first took office in 2012.

The suit, along with an addition filed in October 2021 alleging county officials did nothing to stop the harassment and retaliated against the women for filing the suit, continue to wend their way through federal court.

Two of the women were demoted, accused of misusing county software, and in September 2021, were suspended without pay.

That unpaid suspension continues; two attempts to fire them failed.

The women are represented by Philadelphia Attorney Catherine W. Smith.

In addition to Halcovage, the county, County Administrator Gary R. Bender, former First Assistant County Solicitor Glenn T. Roth Jr., former interim Human Resources Director Doreen Kutzler, and former Human Resources Director Heidi L. Zula were also named in the suit.

In January, the U.S. Department of Justice agreed to settle its separate accusations against the county.

That dispute was based on the charges of discrimination filed by the woman with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. That settlement required the county to take specific steps to prevent sexual harassment and discrimination, and to have its compliance monitored by the government.

The settlement also placed restrictions on Halcovage’s access to the courthouse, limiting his time there to 5 p.m. weekdays.

The Department of Justice’s agreement to settle was also based on the county’s earlier offer to the women to settle the lawsuit for $850,000 to the women, plus payment of their legal costs and attorney’s fees.

The DOJ joined the suit in May 2022, alleging the county violated the women’s Title VII rights, based on a determination by the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission.

The DOJ agreed to settle with the county in January.

The 35-page settlement included that the county had offered an $850,000 settlement to the women in addition to their attorney’s fees and court costs; that the county agreed to not discriminate on the basis of sex; that it select an employer to serve as its equal opportunity, equal employment opportunity officer; that it hire at its own expense a DOJ approved consulting firm to craft anti-harassment and anti-retaliation employment policies and conduct anti-harassment, and anti-retaliation training.

The settlement also included procedures for complaints and investigations; required remedial actions; training requirements; and that the county draft and distribute to all county employees policies covering sexual harassment and discrimination.

The settlement also includes restrictions on Halcovage, that he will not abuse, harass, stalk or threaten the women; contact with them by telephone or any other means, and that any communication necessitated by their employment will be through a third-party. It also requires him to undergo 90 days of personal training on sexual-harassment and retaliation to be developed and administered by the consultant. He’s also not allowed to go into any of the offices were any of the women work.