INITIATIVE TO STOP SEXUAL HARASSMENT




 NOW's Initiative to Stop Sexual Harassment targets all levels and branches of government, including elections, and also focuses on the private sector. The following are the major elements of the initiative:
 
 
 
GOVERNMENT     CORPORATE 
 

GOVERNMENT

Elect Feminist Candidates to Public Office
We call on all politicians at every level to take action to stop sexual harassment. NOW PACs will work to elect candidates who will work to stop sexual harassment. We will only endorse candidates who support proposed state and federal anti-harassment laws.
 

New Executive Order and Strengthening of the EEOC Regulations
We call on the president to issue an executive order covering employees of the government and federal contractors and to work with the EEOC to make it clear in the agency's regulations that sexual misconduct does not have to rise to the level of criminal rape or assault to violate Title VII's prohibition against hostile environment sexual harassment.
 

Allow Full Compensation for Damages and Extend the Statute of Limitations in Sexual Harassment Cases
We call on President Clinton, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott and Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich to work for an amendment to Title VII to lift the cap on damages available for sex discrimination and sexual harassment and to extend the statute of limitations under Title VII..
 

Emergency Funding for the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission
We call on the president to prioritize, and Congress to provide, an exponential increase in funding to the EEOC.  Due to budget cuts, that agency is unable to thoroughly investigate and litigate sexual harassment complaints, to the detriment of women everywhere.
 

Enact Federal Law to Affirm the Rights of Employees to Petition the Courts
We call on Congress to pass the Civil Rights Procedures Protection Act (H.R. 983) and the Employer Liability for Gender-Related Violence Act (H.R. 1332).  H.R. 983 would eliminate the use of mandatory arbitration of employment discrimination complaints.  H.R. 1332 would prohibit employers from using Workers Compensation laws to avoid being sued when women employees are sexually harassed or assaulted at work, as if they are normal occupational hazards.
 

Judicial Education
We call on Congress to restore funding for judicial education that was passed but never appropriated under the Violence Against Women Act, and to add funding for judicial education specifically on sexual harassment law.
 

Strengthening of State and Local Anti-Harassment Laws
We call on the legislatures in all 50 states to strengthen existing civil rights laws to better protect employees from sexual harassment.  We also encourage all states to pass Sexual Extortion Laws that make quid pro quo sexual harassment a criminal act.
 
 

CORPORATE

Clarification of Corporate Sexual Harassment Policies
We call on companies to adopt comprehensive women-friendly sexual harassment policies.  Employers across the country must make it clear that there is no "one free feel" rule at work.
 

Take the Women-Friendly Workplace Pledge
We call on all employers to take NOW's Women-Friendly Workplace Employer's Pledge  -- promising to provide workplaces free of harassment and discrimination.
 


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