A CalPERS board member contended Wednesday that a sexual harassment reprimand he received last year is based on trumped-up charges by fund employees who have conspired to smear him.
State lawyers representing CalPERS before Administrative Law Judge Teri L. Block said that Joseph John Jelincic Jr. was trying to dodge his bad behavior and save face with a Hail Mary appeal.
Jelincic, who works as a CalPERS investment officer, set Wednesday's hearing in motion by appealing a written reprimand for sexually harassing three CalPERS employees. He said "animus" over his unusual dual role and a perceived conflict of interest drove the complaints.
The hostility started, he said, when he took his seat in 2010. He said fund CEO Anne Stausboll and its general counsel, Peter Mixon, "called me into a meeting" and told him his job gave him more information than other members.
"Clearly there was some animus from Peter and Anne when I took (my seat on) the board," Jelincic testified.
CalPERS spokesman Brad Pacheco said after the hearing that the fund "has a responsibility to ensure all board members receive the same information," and that managers followed all of the appropriate steps to remedy the problem.
The animosity extended to mid-level management, said Jelincic's union representative at the hearing, Joyce Thomas-Villaronga. She said that one manager rounded up complaints setting the harassment investigation in motion.
All three women testified during the hearing that Jelincic's long looks and language had made them uncomfortable. The Bee is not naming the women because of the nature of the case.
One woman said he remarked about her "nice shoes" at least 10 times. At first she thought they were compliments but eventually became apprehensive.
The second woman said Jelincic talked about her shoes and looked her "up and down" when she delivered his newspapers.
The third woman complained about Jelincic in February 2009 for making unwelcome remarks and leering looks. A manager then told Jelincic to stop, and he apologized to her with assurances that it wouldn't happen again.
One of the women alleged he started making remarks to her a few months later.
"Mr. Jelincic didn't get the message," said state attorney Ashante Norton.
Jelincic's representative probed the testimony, implying that some events didn't happen or were twisted.
"Did you know Mr. Jelincic wears bifocals?" Thomas-Villaronga asked one woman, suggesting she misinterpreted his head movement as "elevator eyes."
The judge has 30 days to issue a decision, which will then go to the five-member State Personnel Board for review. The board can adopt it, reject it and write its own decision, or order another hearing.