OLYMPIA, Wash. — Lawmakers want to prevent sexual harassment and increase the chances of justice for its victims.
Melissa Taylor told the Senate Law and Justice Committee she was on her first job out of college when a senior executive insisted that the men and women in her group go to a strip club.
“Several of the women pushed back and said why don't we do, I don't even remember what we suggested, but something else. The senior executive then offered us money. He offered me and these other women the equivalent of 10 percent of my monthly salary to go to a strip club in order to maintain collegiality in my workplace. I spent the rest of my four years at this company avoiding that executive and trying to avoid situations like that.”
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Sixty-eight percent of women report being sexually harassed, like Terri Lindeke.
“I thought being a young married woman I would be off-limits. No such luck. That it would not be from higher-ups in the organization. Wrong again. Here I am retired with a full career behind me and nothing has changed. The pervasiveness of sexual harassment continues. My own daughter is the victim of workplace sexual harassment,” Lindeke said.
Lawmakers will consider proposals ranging from outlawing workplace bullying to preventing arbitration and nondisclosure clauses from being used against victims.
After the hearing, Taylor pointed to the waste of time and talent.
"What about all the work that I could have done if I wasn't trying to avoid these situations with those who had the power over my career, over whether or not I got promoted.”
Cox Media Group
