On the first day of the start of Women’s Month, this Tuesday a package of seven laws against sexual harassment at work was approved in the New York State Senate. In a virtual press conference, the leader of the Democratic majority in the Upper House Andrea Stewart-Cousins, assured that it is “our responsibility to protect survivors of sexual assault and harassment, and to ensure that all employees in the state maintain a safe environment. of safe and respectful work for its workers”.
The legislative package, according to the leader, will eliminate the legal ‘loopholes’ that prevent abusers from being held accountable, will extend the time limits for filing complaints and will ensure that the rules and policies on sexual harassment are clear for employees in both the public and private sectors.
Senator Alessandra Biaggi, who sponsors two of the laws that are part of the legislative package, will He referred to the importance that legislators have used the momentum that was given on this issue after the scandal that took place last year (in a reference, without naming him, to the accusations against the former governor dor Andrew Cuomo), to work on these laws to protect New Yorkers in all sectors and create a true New York free of harassment.
“My first project is the ‘Let Survivors Speak Act,’ which will protect survivors from facing financial penalties for sharing their experiences of harassment and discrimination,” he explained. Biaggi, adding that this law “also prohibits victims who have reached an agreement with compensation and then decide to violate the agreement and tell their truth, from being financially punished.”
And about your second bill, the senator explained that it is about establishing a ‘hot line’, or confidential and free legal help line, to make complaints of sexual harassment at work. “Nearly 75 percent of these cases at work go unreported, and most cases are because employees don’t know where to go or who to report these cases to. , or what are their options.”
No more protection for abusers
Senator Andrew Gounardes also did reference to last year’s sex scandal that involved senior officials and employees of the Executive Branch of the State, but warned that this is an evil that not only occurs in Albany, but in every corner of the state and therefore emphasized that with these new laws ” the culture that has made it possible to protect harassers and leave victims suffering in silence will be dismantled.”
Gounardes also spoke about the laws he sponsors, including one that prevents victims from being forced to sign an agreement that they will never reapply for a job with the same company. His other proposal is one that extends the statutes of limitation to be able to file a complaint, and that from 3 years is now extended to 6.
“Many times it takes a person a long time to take that step go ahead and tell what happened to him, and they shouldn’t have that time limitation to be able to present their case in court and tell their story of discrimination or harassment,” said the senator.
A third bill de Gounardes would make it illegal for an employer to disclose information from an employee’s personal record as a form of retaliation for filing a discrimination or harassment complaint.
Meanwhile, Senator Brad Hoylman, who is also sponsoring the package of laws, said: “The Human Rights Act New York provides powerful protection against discrimination and harassment, but its arbitrarily short statute of limitations for filing administrative complaints often benefits those who discriminate. nan and harass. Our legislation to extend the statute of limitations for filing complaints with the Division of Human Rights from one year to three years will give victims more time to come forward.”
The package of seven laws passed:
- ‘Let Survivors Speak’ Law : Would reform current Nondisclosure Agreement laws that financially penalize survivors who report their abuse by prohibiting settlements that require plaintiffs to pay liquidated damages for violating their non-disclosure agreement.75
- Pr