{"id":87206,"date":"2017-12-06T07:05:24","date_gmt":"2017-12-06T12:05:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/?p=87206"},"modified":"2017-12-06T14:39:33","modified_gmt":"2017-12-06T19:39:33","slug":"schneiderman-releases-know-your-rights-guidance-on-sexual-harassment-in-the-workplace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/?p=87206","title":{"rendered":"Schneiderman releases &#8216;Know Your Rights&#8217; guidance on sexual harassment in the workplace"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-70131\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Attorny_General_Eric_T_Schneiderman.jpg?resize=260%2C221\" alt=\"\" width=\"260\" height=\"221\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Attorny_General_Eric_T_Schneiderman.jpg?w=260&amp;ssl=1 260w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Attorny_General_Eric_T_Schneiderman.jpg?resize=150%2C128&amp;ssl=1 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 260px) 100vw, 260px\" \/>Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman released updated guidance \u2013\u00a0<\/span><a style=\"font-size: medium;\" href=\"http:\/\/links.govdelivery.com\/track?type=click&amp;enid=ZWFzPTEmbXNpZD0mYXVpZD0mbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTcxMjA2LjgyMDA0NzExJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE3MTIwNi44MjAwNDcxMSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE2OTcwNTEyJmVtYWlsaWQ9bWFyZ29AbTNwbWVkaWEuY29tJnVzZXJpZD1tYXJnb0BtM3BtZWRpYS5jb20mdGFyZ2V0aWQ9JmZsPSZleHRyYT1NdWx0aXZhcmlhdGVJZD0mJiY=&amp;&amp;&amp;100&amp;&amp;&amp;https:\/\/ag.ny.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/sexual_harrassment_brochure.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?hl=en&amp;q=http:\/\/links.govdelivery.com:80\/track?type%3Dclick%26enid%3DZWFzPTEmbXNpZD0mYXVpZD0mbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTcxMjA2LjgyMDA0NzExJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE3MTIwNi44MjAwNDcxMSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE2OTcwNTEyJmVtYWlsaWQ9bWFyZ29AbTNwbWVkaWEuY29tJnVzZXJpZD1tYXJnb0BtM3BtZWRpYS5jb20mdGFyZ2V0aWQ9JmZsPSZleHRyYT1NdWx0aXZhcmlhdGVJZD0mJiY%3D%26%26%26100%26%26%26https:\/\/ag.ny.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/sexual_harrassment_brochure.pdf&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1512673608911000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGBzieN2EdYjzTO6drohZDsSejRjA\">\u201cSexual Harassment in the Workplace: Know Your Rights\u201d<\/a><span style=\"font-size: medium;\">\u00a0\u2013 to inform New Yorkers about the laws that protect them from sexual harassment at work. The guidance provides victims of sexual harassment with information on the appropriate agencies to consult should they seek to file a complaint or take legal action, along with helplines for further support.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\">Sexual harassment is a form of gender-based discrimination that involves unwelcome conduct used as the basis for hiring or other employment decisions \u2013 such as promotions, raises, or job assignments \u2013 or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment. The harasser can be a supervisor, co-worker, or someone who is not an employee, such as a client or customer. Harassment is illegal when it is so frequent or severe that it creates a hostile or offensive work environment\u00a0\u2013\u00a0or when it results in an adverse employment decision.<\/span><!--more--><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\">According to<\/span> the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, one in four women experience sexual harassment in the workplace.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo New Yorker should be forced to walk into a workplace ruled by sexual harassment, intimidation, or fear,\u201d said Schneiderman. \u201cIn recent months, we\u2019ve begun a long-overdue reckoning with the systemic failure of many institutions to protect women and all victims of sexual harassment. This guidance will help New Yorkers understand their rights and their options when it comes to sexual harassment in the workplace.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\">The Attorney General\u2019s guidance offers a variety of resources on the rights of victims and all available options to them, beyond reporting harassment to employers, including:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: medium;\">Sexual harassment is prohibited by Title VII of the 1964 federal Civil Rights Act, New York State Human Rights Law and, in some instances, local law (for example, the New York City Administrative Code).\u00a0The NYS Human Rights Law also protects against harassment based on gender identity or transgender status.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: medium;\">The law protects both men and women, and also covers incidents in which the harasser and the victim are of the same sex, regardless of sexual orientation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: medium;\">Harassment on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation is prohibited by the New York State Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act (&#8220;SONDA&#8221;). For more information on SONDA,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/links.govdelivery.com\/track?type=click&amp;enid=ZWFzPTEmbXNpZD0mYXVpZD0mbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTcxMjA2LjgyMDA0NzExJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE3MTIwNi44MjAwNDcxMSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE2OTcwNTEyJmVtYWlsaWQ9bWFyZ29AbTNwbWVkaWEuY29tJnVzZXJpZD1tYXJnb0BtM3BtZWRpYS5jb20mdGFyZ2V0aWQ9JmZsPSZleHRyYT1NdWx0aXZhcmlhdGVJZD0mJiY=&amp;&amp;&amp;101&amp;&amp;&amp;https:\/\/ag.ny.gov\/civil-rights\/sonda-brochure\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?hl=en&amp;q=http:\/\/links.govdelivery.com:80\/track?type%3Dclick%26enid%3DZWFzPTEmbXNpZD0mYXVpZD0mbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTcxMjA2LjgyMDA0NzExJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE3MTIwNi44MjAwNDcxMSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE2OTcwNTEyJmVtYWlsaWQ9bWFyZ29AbTNwbWVkaWEuY29tJnVzZXJpZD1tYXJnb0BtM3BtZWRpYS5jb20mdGFyZ2V0aWQ9JmZsPSZleHRyYT1NdWx0aXZhcmlhdGVJZD0mJiY%3D%26%26%26101%26%26%26https:\/\/ag.ny.gov\/civil-rights\/sonda-brochure&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1512673608911000&amp;usg=AFQjCNElPfYUEnfQKkGdFTHyOq17yIJvIA\">visit the Attorney General\u2019s website<\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: medium;\">If harassment involves physical touching, coerced physical confinement, or coerced sex acts, the conduct may constitute a crime and should also be reported to the local police department.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: medium;\">Retaliation for making a complaint about sexual harassment is prohibited by law. If this occurs, you may have a separate claim of retaliation, in addition to any claim of sexual harassment. Retaliation occurs when the terms and conditions of one\u2019s work are unfavorably changed as a result of one\u2019s reporting sexual harassment or cooperating with the investigation of a sexual harassment complaint or lawsuit.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\">The Attorney General\u2019s office represents the People of the State of New York, not individuals making complaints. The\u00a0Attorney General\u2019s\u00a0Civil Rights Bureau must determine whether experiences are evidence of a broader pattern, practice, or policy of sexual harassment affecting a significant number of people before commencing an investigation and\/or initiating legal action against an employer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\">\u201cThe cul<\/span>ture of workplaces must change to ensure fairness and equality.\u00a0Speaking out and knowing your rights are important first steps in combating sexual harassment. But it&#8217;s equally critical that bystanders, colleagues, and supervisors must be part of this change by also speaking out and ending the culture of complicity,\u201d said\u00a0Sonia Ossorio, President, National Organization for Women &#8211; New York.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEveryone has the right to feel safe and secure in the workplace,\u201d said\u00a0Senate Democratic Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins. \u201cThe State has an obligation to protect workers from harassment and foster a culture that encourages victims to speak out. I am committed to strengthening workplace protections for all workers and ensuring these protections are enforced at every opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe past few months have provided an historic <span style=\"font-size: medium;\">turning point in the way we talk about and address sexual harassment in the workplace. I want to thank NYS Attorney General Eric S<\/span>chneiderman for moving so quickly to provide New York\u2019s workers a new \u2018Know Your Rights\u2019 Guide on workplace sexual harassment to ensure those suffering silently have the resources and information they need to act,\u201d said\u00a0Assemblymember Shelley B. Mayer, Chair of the Assembly Task Force on Women\u2019s Issues. \u201cThis new guide will ensure those experiencing sexual harassment know their rights and help them determine the best and safest options to protect themselves from further harm and stop the perpetrator from potentially harming others.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;As we\u2019ve seen in the past few weeks and months, sexual harassment is prevalent in every field,&#8221; said\u00a0Assemblymember Monica Wallace. &#8220;Victims often remain silent for fear of retaliation or ridicule. If we want to address this problem, we need to make sure that our laws protect victims and give them the tools they need to speak out and defend their rights. I will be sponsoring legislation in the Assembly that ensures a safe workplace for all women, and I applaud Attor<span style=\"font-size: medium;\">ney General Schneiderman for his leadership on this important issue.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\">\u201cI applaud Attorney General Schneiderman for his leadership in combating sexual harassment in the workplace and supporting workers\u2019 rights,\u201d said\u00a0<\/span>Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee.\u00a0\u201cEvery employee no matter their salary or position, is entitled to a safe, healthy, equitable work environment. Eliminating sexual harassment in the workplace begins with zero tolerance, holding abusers accountable, and empowering victims to fight back without fear of reprisal by keeping workers informed of their rights, including specific steps they can take to file a complaint or initiate a legal action.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEvery New Yorker deserves to work in a respectful and safe workplace free from sexual harassment and violence. As co-chair of the Women&#8217;s Caucus of the New York City Council, I am urging all of us to take full advantage of this incredible historical moment and renew our commitment to building a society &#8212; in the workplace and beyond &#8212; that fully respects the humanity of all individuals, regardless of their gender or level of social power. Thank you to Attorney General Schneiderman for reiterating and clarifying our protections under the law,\u201d said\u00a0Council Member Helen Rosenthal (Manhattan, District 6).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman released updated guidance \u2013\u00a0\u201cSexual Harassment in the Workplace: Know Your Rights\u201d\u00a0\u2013 to inform New Yorkers about the laws that protect them from sexual harassment at work. The guidance provides victims of sexual harassment with information on the appropriate agencies to consult should they seek to file a complaint or take [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":70131,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[23810,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-87206","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wellbeing","category-top-story"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p43meu-mGy","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Attorny_General_Eric_T_Schneiderman.jpg?fit=260%2C221&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/87206","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=87206"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/87206\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/70131"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=87206"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=87206"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=87206"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}