By determination of the General Comptroller of the Union (CGU), Caixa Econômica Federal dismissed, for just cause, former vice-president Antônio Carlos Ferreira de Sousa. A career employee at the bank, he had been away from his position since July 2022, when allegations of sexual and moral harassment emerged during the presidency of Pedro Guimarães, who led the bank between 2019 and 2022.
The CGU published this Friday (22) the shutdown ordinance in Official Gazette of the Union. During Guimarães’ management, Sousa was vice-president of People Strategy and Logistics and Operations.
In addition to his dismissal, the former vice president is prevented from holding commissioned positions or positions of trust in the Federal Executive Branch for 8 years. Since the disclosure of the allegations, Sousa had been removed from his position, but continued to work at Caixa.
At the time of the disclosure of accusations of moral and sexual harassment by Pedro Guimarães, who resigned in June 2022Caixa created an internal reporting channel. Based on reports received in Contato Seguro da Caixa, the bank investigated the cases and found several instances of harassment by Sousa.
In a statement, Caixa states that it does not tolerate any type of harassment from managers or employees. The bank also reported that it had begun investigating the cases through internal internal affairs and that the process followed public administration rules.
“With the completion of the investigations carried out within the rites of governance, the bank sent the conclusive report to the Comptroller General of the Union (CGU) in October 2023. The former director had already been removed from office since July 2022. With the knowledge of the CGU’s decision, Caixa will initiate the necessary measures to comply”, informed the bank’s press office.
History
In June 2022, a series of allegations of sexual and moral harassment emerged during Pedro Guimarães’ management at Caixa. Immediately after the reports were released, the Federal Public Ministry and the Public Labor Ministry began investigating the cases. In addition to the then president, vice presidents and directors were accused.
Guimarães resigned the day after the publication of the allegations, and other vice presidents of the bank subsequently resigned.
Developments
In March 2023, Guimarães became a defendant due to reports of sexual and moral harassment made by Caixa employees. The action is being processed under secrecy, and the executive’s defense denies the accusations.
In another action, filed by the Bank Workers’ Union of São Paulo, Osasco and Region, Caixa was ordered to pay R$3.5 million in compensation for an event in the interior of São Paulo in which Guimarães forced employees to do push-ups in style. military.
Agreements
In April last year, Caixa reached an agreement with the Public Ministry of Labor of the Federal District to pay a compensation of R$10 million to end the employees’ complaints. In January this year, the bank signed a conduct adjustment agreement (TAC)which granted advantages in internal selection processes to employees who suffered persecution under Guimarães’ management.
The bank was convicted in other cases in São Paulo, Amazonas and the Federal District. Adding the convictions and the TAC, the bank has so far disbursed around R$14 million in compensation, which could be higher if there was no agreement. Without them, the financial institution would have to pay a fine of up to R$300 million. Last year, Caixa announced that it would charge Pedro Guimarães, in court, for the compensation money.
In March this year, the Ethics Commission of the Presidency of the Republic applied “ethical censorship” to Guimarães. Applied to authorities who left office, the penalty only provides for a warning. The action against Guimarães in the Federal Court is still in the hearing phase.
