The sexual harassment policy will be updated in the state of Maryland. The Maryland General Assembly will begin its next lawmaking session in January but the Legislative Policy Commission already voted on an update to the sexual harassment policy earlier this month for those working in the state capital of Annapolis.
One of the biggest changes to the sexual harassment policy is that incidents will be documented and then made available for the public to read. One state senator said that the update to the policy is the right move but it is still not complete. The senator said that the state is still waiting to hear from the Women’s Legislature Caucus.
The updated policy will not release the names of the people involved in the complaint. This includes the complaintaint as well as the person the complaint was filed against. The senator said that the update to the policy makes it easier for victims of harassment and discrimination to put their foot down and make a statement that they will not take it any longer.
The policy allows for documented incidents of sexual harassment to be reported to the Legislative Policy Committee annually. Then, the public will get to see what type of discipline was administered against those named in the complaints. Discipline can include expulsion by the Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics.
Discrimination in the workplace is illegal. Harassment of all forms in the workplace is illegal. If you believe you have been exposed to either of these, it’s best to speak with an experienced employment law attorney in Silver Spring about your situation.