Tougher Sex Harassment Policy for L.A. Begins

A toughened policy that requires the city’s department heads to closely monitor and investigate charges of sexual harassment was instituted Thursday by Mayor Tom Bradley.

The policy, which takes effect immediately, calls for employee supervisors to be trained not only in what constitutes sexual harassment but also in how to deal with employees accused of it.

The new policy is based on a recent recommendation by the city’s Commission on the Status of Women. The final version differs slightly in that certain definitions of sexual harassment, such as the “display of sexually suggestive objects or pictures, cartoons or posters,” were stricken after consultation with the city attorney.

Instead, specific forms of sexual harassment will be spelled out in educational materials that will be supplied to department heads during a training program, officials said.

‘A Very Serious Matter’

“I want all city employees to know that sexual harassment is a very serious matter and simply will not be tolerated,” Bradley told a City Hall news conference. “If any department head fails to follow the procedures outlined in this new directive, he or she will have to answer to me.”

Bradley’s policy generally defines sexual harassment as “unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature . . . “ used to coerce or pressure employees.

To emphasize his commitment against sexual harassment, Bradley also issued an open invitation to any employee who may be hesitant about lodging a complaint with his or her department to contact the mayor’s office directly. Bradley said his office would then investigate the complaint and “take appropriate action.”

In a testy exchange with reporters, Bradley said that in the past his office had dealt with complaints of sexual harassment involving a former general manager but he would not identify the person or what action was taken.

‘Rather Severe Action’

Pressed to explain whether the former general manager had been forced to leave due to the charges, Bradley responded: “The answer to that question is not quite as clear as you may like. But we have taken rather severe action, and there has in fact been a general manager who has come under this kind of (sexual harassment) scrutiny.

“I think that matter is one of a personnel nature that cannot be discussed with the media,” Bradley said.

The new sexual harassment policy updates and refines one first ordered in 1981 by Bradley. The revisions were ordered last November after the Commission on the Status of Women released results of a survey among women working for the city showing that more than one-third of the respondents complained of sexual harassment and that more than two-thirds of them felt that it would be pointless to complain.

Bradley ordered the general managers to appoint sexual harassment counselors to handle complaints. He said all complaints should be handled quickly and he assured city employees that they may lodge sexual harassment complaints “without fear of retaliation by the city, department management or their immediate supervisor.”

Los Angeles City Councilwoman Joy Picus said the council believes that the fight against sexual harassment is so important that general managers will be judged each year on their ability to control it.