Washington, D.C. – Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, along with his Democratic colleagues on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, sent letters to Secretary DeVos at the Department of Education, Secretary Acosta at the Department of Labor, and Secretary Azar at the Department of Health and Human Services, requesting information on their efforts to provide a safe workplace free of harassment. Each letter also outlined how many of each Department’s recent complaints to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission were made on the basis of sex.
“We write to you with deep concern regarding harassment in the workplace and to obtain information on what you are doing to address the issue within your agency,” the senators wrote. “As you are well aware, workplace harassment is not a new issue that workers face; it is pervasive, systemic, and unacceptable. Recently, many brave women and men have spoken out to shed light on sexual harassment across the country. Women, in particular, have answered the call and their voices are leading the way in demanding change and equality-often taking great risk to speak out for the first time, and their voices are making a difference. As the head of a federal agency employing thousands of people, you can play a critical role in establishing and modeling safe work environments for all workers, and we hope you will do so.”
Today’s letters come on the heels of the letter Bennet sent to HELP Committee leadership last week, requesting a hearing on workplace harassment.
The letter to Secretary DeVos can be found HERE.
The letter to Secretary Acosta can be found HERE.
The letter to Secretary Azar can be found HERE.