A fifth woman who worked in the Schuylkill County courthouse has sued former Commissioner George F. Halcovage Jr. in federal court, alleging he sexually harassed her in 2023.

Identified as “Jane Doe,” the woman also contends three other county officials were aware that Halcovage was barred from the courthouse after working hours, nonetheless was there at night when she was, but failed to act although they knew he was there.

The woman, a contracted cleaner, says in the suit that about three weeks after she alerted the Human Resources office about the inappropriate conduct, commissioners rejected her cleaning company’s bid to continue services.

Halcovage served as commissioner from 2012 until he lost his bid for election to a fourth term in 2023 amid the scandal of four sexual harassment accusations that resulted in federal lawsuits in 2021, the threat of impeachment at the state level and the involvement of the federal Department of Justice.

The DOJ required the county to comply with a consent decree, which in 2023 set safeguards, including the appointment of an Equal Opportunity Officer, a requirement that supervisors report any complaints to the officer, and other protective measures.

The previous suits were settled in 2025 for $1.7 million to the first of the four previous women who sued and $3.2 million to the other three.

In addition to Halcovage, Jane Doe’s lawsuit, filed Sept. 24 in U.S. District Court, Scranton, names the county, county Administrator Gary Bender, Human Resources Director Anthony Kern and Equal Opportunity Officer Elaine Gilbert.

It asks for a jury trial and a yet-to-be-determined amount of money for what she contends are violations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and the state’s Human Relations Act.

The suit accuses the county of discrimination, allowing a hostile work environment, and retaliation.

It accuses each of the defendants with retaliation, and Halcovage, Gilbert, Kern and Bender with aiding and abetting the discrimination.

According to the suit, Jane Doe was assigned to clean the commissioners’ office twice weekly in the evenings.

Her suit alleges the sexual harassment happened in 2023. She contends Halcovage touched her private parts while he was putting papers into a trash bag she was holding open for him in his office; that he asked her to communicate with him via Snapchat because the app quickly deletes messages. He also asked her send him her photos via the app.

Further, the suit contends, he commented on her appearance, telling her she was a “smoke show” among other descriptions; that he used his familiarity with her family to get close to her and establish a friendship; asked to friend him on Facebook and give him access to all of her personal information; asked for her personal cellphone number; told her he could see her on camera; and asked to place a sound bar speaker device in her bra in front of him. She used the small device to listen to music while working, and kept it in her bra to keep her hands free.

He also asked her in October 2023 to give him a copy of her company’s bid for another annual cleaning contract, which she helped to write, and to met him at a local doughnut shop and in the parking lot of another business so he could give her tips on how to be awarded the bid.

The company had been cleaning the courthouse since 2008.

On Dec. 1, 2023, Jane Doe reported Halcovage’s actions to the county.

The suit also contends the county violated the consent decree by having Gilbert, who answers to Bender, who answers to the commissioners, investigate her complaint.

On Dec. 20, commissioners, with Halcovage leaving the boardroom before the vote was taken, rejected her company’s bid for the 2024 contract, instead giving it to another company.