The Michigan staffer who had an “inappropriate relationship” with fired and arrested Michigan coach Sherrone Moore remains employed with the University due to the school’s policy regarding supervisor-employee relationships, the school told USA Today.
Policy 201.97 details “intimate relationships between supervisors and supervisees,” which Moore’s affair fell under, and states: “A Supervisor may not, implicitly or explicitly, initiate or attempt to initiate an Intimate Relationship with a Supervisee over whom they exercise supervisory authority as defined in Section III.A. of this Policy.”
The guide states that any relationships between a supervisor and employee must immediately be reported to the “immediate superior,” who would then inform an “appropriate Higher Level Administrative Authority” such as a dean or executive director.
The onus is on the supervisor — in this case, Moore — to report the relationship.
The couple must also agree to a management plan, “with the outcome being to remove supervision and/or influence over a Supervisee when an Intimate Relationship exists.”
Michigan’s policy states there cannot be retaliation against anyone who reports a violation of the school’s protocols for said relationships.
Firing the mistress in such a scenario would have violated the University’s standards.
Prosecutors said the woman in question reported their tryst to a school official after Moore kept calling and texting her after she ended their relationship.
“Retaliation against a person who reports a potential violation under this policy, assists someone with a report of a violation, or participates in any manner in an investigation or in the resolution of a report made under this policy is strictly prohibited,” the policy reads. “Retaliation includes, but is not limited to threats, intimidation, reprisals and/or adverse action related to an individual’s employment or education. Adverse action may include inappropriately unfavorable treatment of others as the result of the Intimate Relationship. The University will take appropriate steps to ensure a person who in good faith reports, or participates in an investigation pursuant to this policy will not be subject to retaliation.”
The staffer has not been publicly named by Michigan nor police, but Moore allegedly broke into the apartment of executive assistant Paige Shiver.
Washtenaw County prosecutor Kati Rezmierski said during the arraignment that the female victim had been in an “intimate relationship” with Moore for several years, and a confrontation happened between the pair at a residence, which public records show belongs to Shriver, two days after the woman called off the affair.
He allegedly grabbed butter knives and kitchen scissors from a drawer, prosecutors claimed, and said: “I’m gonna kill myself, I’m gonna make you watch, my blood is on your hands, you ruined my life.”
Moore is now facing charges of felony home invasion plus two misdemeanors in stalking and breaking and entering, to which he has pleaded not guilty.
He appeared via Zoom for his arraignment while wearing an all-white outfit.
Michigan took the unusual step last Wednesday to explicitly state that Moore, 39, had been fired with cause for an “inappropriate relationship with a staff member.”
Moore has been married to wife Kelli for 10 years, and they have three kids — Shiloh, Solei and Sadei.
A source told CBS Sports that Moore’s affair was the school’s “worst-kept secret.”
“U-M head football coach Sherrone Moore has been terminated, with cause, effective immediately,” the school’s statement read. “Following a University investigation, credible evidence was found that Coach Moore engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member. This conduct constitutes a clear violation of university policy, and U-M maintains zero tolerance for such behavior.”
The ex-coach was detained hours after his firing last Wednesday, with the Saline (Mich.) police department told ESPN it detained Moore and turned him over to the Pittsfield Township police department for “investigation into potential charges.”
“The incident does not appear to be random in nature, and there appears to be no ongoing threat to the community,” the statement from the Pittsfield police department read.
Moore had just one more game left in his second season as the Wolverines’ coach, leading the team to a 9-3 record this year and an 18-8 total record as the team’s leader.
He signed a five-year contract with the school upon being hired, and Michigan will avoid paying his buyout clause due to the “just cause” designation for the dismissal.
Biff Poggi is the Wolverines’ interim coach and will man the sidelines for their upcoming Citrus Bowl game against Texas on Dec. 31 at 3 p.m. ET.
This article originally appeared on The New York Post.com.
