Washington, DC – Today, Representative Lois Frankel (FL-21) was joined by 61 Members of Congress in sending a letter to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) urging the commission to help combat workplace harassment. The letter asks the SEC to use its existing rulemaking authority to require publicly-traded companies to disclose the number and aggregate amounts of settlements, judgements, and awards that pertain to workplace harassment, sexual harassment, and assault on their annual filings.

The letter states, in part, “According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), one in three women has experienced harassment in the workplace. Workplace harassment and assault force many people, especially women, to leave their job, or industry completely, due to an unsafe work environment. These situations negatively impact the health and safety of workers, and consumers, as well as the value of corporations.”

The letter continues, “The SEC’s stated mission is, in part, to make sure that the public and shareholders have the timely, accurate, and complete information they need to make confident and informed decisions about when or where to invest. By informing shareholders and the public about expenses related to harassment and assault disputes, the SEC will be able to improve accountability for these companies and incentivize them to prevent workplace harassment and assault.”

The letter has been endorsed by a variety of advocacy organizations, including Lift Our Voices, Jewish Women International, National Alliance to End Sexual Violence (NAESV), National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, National Resource Center on Domestic Violence, National Partnership for Women and Families, National Women's Law Center, and more.

Full text of the letter is available here.

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