'Harassed' clerk declined transfer offer A COURT clerk who claims former magistrate Joseph Baldino sexually harassed her was offered a transfer away from his chambers but declined, a tribunal has heard. Lawyers for Mr Baldino claim Rebecca Ramstrom's refusal of a March 2010 offer to work with a different magistrate undercuts her claims of abuse. But Ms Ramstrom says she made that decision because she was working while injured and feared for her career. "I was experiencing harassment and I was on WorkCover (at the same time)," she said. I was scared, I didn't want to cause any problems, I was just trying to work and push it (the harassment) out of my head. Ms Ramstrom, 33, has taken Mr Baldino, who retired last year, to the Equal Opportunity Tribunal. She claims that, while working as his clerk between 2008 and 2010, Mr Baldino subjected her to repeated sexual harassment that escalated from lewd comments to physical contact. Ms Ramstrom has told the tribunal Mr Baldino encouraged her to drink in his presence, suggested she ride waterslides naked and made sexual comments about food. She has also alleged he asked for a pair of her stockings, groped her breasts while pretending to look at her necklace and smacked her on the buttocks with a court file. She claimed that last incident, in September 2010, caused a panic attack and she has not been fit to work since. Today, Ms Ramstrom was cross-examined by Mr Baldino's lawyer - top silk and retired judge Marie Shaw, QC. Ms Shaw said medical records showed that, in 2010, Ms Ramstrom was on WorkCover for a wrist injury. She said that, in March of that year, Ms Ramstrom refused an offer to transfer to another magistrate. "You threw a complete tantrum over the prospect of not working with Mr Baldino," she said. You went to your doctor, you got your doctor to call WorkCover and you fought with your supervisor. Ms Ramstrom agreed she had refused the offer but rejected Ms Shaw's version of events. "I don't argue with people like that," she said. If I had a problem I would write a note or send a letter. There was no tantrum thrown, no. Ms Shaw said Ms Ramstrom's real problem was being forced, by the Courts Administration Authority, to return to full-time duties before she felt ready. "You were upset that your employer was pushing you back to five days a week in general courts," she said. You disagreed, and you didn't want to go to work.