TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A director in Taichung's transportation bureau has been suspended pending an investigation after he was accused of sexual harassment by five subordinates, Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) said on Tuesday (Nov. 5).

Lu said that she has zero tolerance for sexual harassment, and the director will be severely punished if the allegations are proven, per CNA. She said that as the only female mayor in Taiwan’s six special municipalities, she takes the issue especially seriously.

The sexual harassment allegations were brought to light by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) City Councilors Huang Shou-ta (黃守達), Wang Li-jen (王立任), and Chang Yu-yan (張玉嬿) at a meeting of the council’s transport committee on Monday (Nov. 4).

At the meeting, the legislators said the director was accused of sexually harassing at least five female subordinates over four years.

Huang said he had received reports from two women that they had been suspended without pay for ten months after reporting sexual harassment to their superior. Complaints against the director included verbal and physical sexual harassment allegations, Huang said.