Warren leads Senate Dem call for sexual harassment hearings

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is leading a call for hearings on sexual misconduct in the workplace in a letter signed by all Democrats on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. 

“As members of the committee, it is our duty to ensure that workers are protected from sexual assault and harassment in their jobs,” the letter said. 

{mosads}”The deluge of workers who have come forward to report incidents of workplace sexual harassment and assault in recent months has rightly caused Congress to reexamine existing anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies and has forced us to question the efficacy of existing worker protections.”

The letter cites a report from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) — which enforces laws aimed at preventing discrimination and misconduct in the workplace — that found that 25 percent to 85 percent of women experience sexual harassment in the workplace. 

“Women are more likely to experience sexual harassment than men; meanwhile, low-income women and women of color often face unique barriers to sexual harassment reporting and prevention. But despite the pervasiveness of harassment, the committee has yet to hold a hearing on workplace sexual harassment,” the senators write.

The move comes as women from Hollywood to Washington, D.C., have come forward to accuse high-power men of sexual misconduct. 

The avalanche of accusations have had a major impact on Capitol Hill. 

Former Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) and Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.) were forced to resign following accusations against them.