With a series of new legislation, the City Council is looking to take action to further protect employees against sexual harassment this week.
Council Speaker Corey Johnson alongside Women’s Committee Chair Helen Rosenthal (D-Manhattan) and Council Members unveiled the “Stop Sexual Harassment in NYC Act,” on Monday.
The new piece of legislation is a comprehensive package of measures aimed to strengthen New York City’s anti-sexual harassment policies and combat sexual harassment in the workplace.
The series of 11 pre-considered bills will be introduced at the joint Committee on Women and Committee on Civil & Human Rights hearing today and will expand anti-sexual harassment protections to include all public and private employers in New York.
“All New Yorkers are entitled to a safe, respectful workplace – and this starts with sending a strong message to employers that there is no place for sexual harassment in New York City. “With more and more sexual harassment cases being brought to light, it has never been more important for the government to play a role in the movement to end sexual harassment and assault,” said Johnson.
The legislation package also includes bills from Councilwoman Alicka Ampry-Samuel (D-Brownsville, East Flatbush, Crown Heights, Bedford-Stuyvesant) and Councilman Robert Cornegy Jr. (D-Bedford-Stuyvesant, Northern Crown Heights) that enhance sexual harassment education and facilitate the complaint process through a robust website and require employers to post written policies and procedures to prevent sexual harassment, respectively.
“Claims of sexual harassment are emerging at levels never presented before because women, especially, have been empowered and supported in speaking up. This legislation further empowers and supports all victims to speak up. I am proud of what we are about to accomplish in ultimately passing this bill,” said Ampry-Samuel.
“We are overdue for change when it comes to equality and sexual harassment. At a moment when so many are standing up and saying #MeToo, it is critical that we as elected officials seize this moment to implement policies aimed at rooting out sexual violence so that no one else has to join their voices in such a chorus,” said Cornegy.
Funding for the bills increased education and training for sexual harassment has yet to be determined. However, according to a City Council spokesperson, the new measures will first be introduced at the committee meeting where testimony on the bills costs on businesses will be heard and reviewed, with a fiscal impact statement to be released later in the legislative process.
