Two women at the heart of a federal sexual harassment lawsuit and related possible impeachment of a Schuylkill County commissioner were hired Wednesday by the Clerk of Courts office.

Former Schuylkill County Tax Claim Director Angela Toomey and Assistant Director Denise McGinley-Gerchak will earn $12.49 an hour as clerks, beginning Oct. 3.

The county salary board approved the hirings.

The commissioner against whom the lawsuit was filed, George F. Halcovage Jr., was absent.

Salary board members Commissioner Gary J. Hess, Commissioners Chairman Barron L. Hetherington, First Deputy Controller Sandra Pacenta, and Clerk of Courts Maria T. Casey all approved the salaries for the women.

The process was not without some tension, however.

Casey pointed out that the original agenda did not include a motion for approval of the salaries. With the advice of Assistant Solicitor Paul J. Datte, the salary board agenda was amended to include that.

Casey also questioned why she was not notified by the Human Resources Department, as is routine, that she would be voting on the motion.

She received no answer.

Also, Helen Driskinis of Minersville accused Casey of bullying one of her officer workers until she quit “because she needed a desk.”

Casey denied doing that, and said the matter will “play out through the court” and determine the termination was justified.

The hiring of the two women “has nothing to do with the termination,” Casey said.

She also noted they “will be making less than they would at Burger King.”

Casey has been a vocal advocate for Toomey, Gerchak and the two other women who filed the lawsuit.

In the lawsuit, filed March 16, 2021 in U.S. District Court, Scranton, the women are identified as Jane Doe 1, Jane Doe 2, Jane Doe 3, and Jane Doe 4.

Testimony is being heard this week in the case. Information gathering is expected to continue through June 12, 2023.

The suit alleges Halcovage sexually harassed the women from when he was first elected in 2012, and that other county officials did nothing to stop it, and tried to cover it up.

A second complaint, filed on Oct. 29, 2021, contends the women were subjected to retribution for filing the initial suit, including being demoted and suspended; they’ve also faced two attempts to have them fired. They have been receiving unemployment compensation.

An investigation by the county’s Human Resources Department in 2020 found Halcovage violated sexual harassment, conduct and disciplinary action, and the physical and verbal abuse policies.

The matter was sent to the state Office of the Attorney General, which took no action.

The accusations resulted in the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Courts initiating impeachment proceedings.

The panel on Monday voted 5-1 to send a criminal referral to the state Office of the Attorney General. It continues to gather information to determine whether Halcovage should be impeached.