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	Archdiocese Hospital Chief Quits after Harassment Accusations By Katie Zezima The New York Times May 26, 2006 http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/26/us/26church.html BOSTON, May 25 — The top official of the Archdiocese of Boston's hospital system resigned under pressure early Thursday morning after at least six women accused him of sexual harassment. The official, Dr. Robert M. Haddad, stepped down as the head of Caritas Christi Health Care Systems, the second-largest health care provider in New England, after its board voted to fire him. He will receive 10 months' severance pay, or $830,000, and benefits. Dr. Haddad's resigned after days of criticism of Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley, who has led the Roman Catholic archdiocese's effort to deal with the scandal of sexual abuse by priests. Initially, after reviewing the accusations of harassment, Cardinal O'Malley recommended that Dr. Haddad keep his job but be reprimanded and take sensitivity training. The systems' board adopted that recommendation last week. The reversal occurred after more complaints this week. "The events that have brought us to this moment are very unfortunate and serious, not only for those directly impacted but for the entire Caritas Christi community," Cardinal O'Malley said in a statement early Thursday, after a nearly six-hour board meeting. "Our actions this evening recognize that all complaints of sexual harassment will be taken seriously and investigated thoroughly." A spokeswoman for Dr. Haddad said the decision allowed Dr. Haddad, 52, to move on. "Dr. Haddad had two choices, and he chose to resign and accept the severance package," Nancy Sterling, his spokeswoman, said. "He is very happy to stop putting his family through the pain they have experienced." Dr. Haddad is married and has five children. The archdiocese learned last month that four women had lodged complaints against Dr. Haddad, saying he inappropriately kissed and hugged them. The Boston Globe first reported the accusations and the decision not to fire Dr. Haddad on Sunday. Additional complaints were filed against him on Monday. Dr. Haddad, who is of Lebanese descent, attributed the accusations to a cultural misunderstanding, telling The Globe that hugs and kisses between the sexes in the Lebanese culture "are not only expected, but warmly given and received." Upon receiving the initial accusations, Cardinal O'Malley hired an independent investigator to prepare a report on them. According to the archdiocese, the report said Dr. Haddad's conduct was both inappropriate and a violation of the hospital's sexual harassment policy, as well as state and federal employment law, but not "of an exceptionally egregious nature." The archdiocese then hired an outside lawyer, who recommended that Dr. Haddad be internally reprimanded. The board voted unanimously with one abstention last Thursday to take the disciplinary action, and Cardinal O'Malley asked that Dr. Haddad's accusers be assured that their complaints were taken seriously, the archdiocese said. Dr. Haddad, an internist who was previously a vice president at a Pennsylvania health system, has been credited with saving Caritas Christi from an operating loss. It has six hospitals in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island, as well as medical centers.
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