ORDINANCE NO. ____________, SERIES 2023
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AN ORDINANCE AMENDING LOUISVILLE METRO CODE OF ORDINANCES ("LMCO") CHAPTER 39 TO REQUIRE ORGANIZATIONS RECEIVING INCENTIVES, BENEFITS, OR CONTRACTS FROM LOUISVILLE METRO GOVERNMENT TO REPORT INSTANCES OF WORKPLACE SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND PROHIBITING THOSE ORGANIZATIONS FROM ENTERING INTO CERTAIN TYPES OF NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENTS THAT ARE CONTRARY TO THE PUBLIC INTEREST (AS AMENDED).
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SPONSORED BY: COUNCIL MEMBER ARTHUR
WHEREAS, a survey by the organization Stop Street Harassment found that 77% of women had been verbally harassed, 51% of women had experienced unwelcome sexual touching, 34% of women had been physically followed, and 27% of women had experienced sexual assault; and
WHEREAS, the Kentucky Association of Sexual Assault Programs estimates that 47.7% of Kentucky women have experienced sexual violence, and
WHEREAS, the EEOC found that 32.4% of workplace discrimination complaints were related to sexual harassment; and
WHEREAS, recent incidents have shown that sexual harassment, sexual assault, and gender-based violence are an on-going challenge for women in Louisville; and
WHEREAS, a study by Jason Sockin, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, found that broad non-disclosure agreements inhibit workers from filing sexual harassment complaints with federal agencies; and
WHEREAS, that same study found that limiting how employers can use these non-disclosure agreements led to more public information about bad behavior at companies; and
WHEREAS, that same data suggests that limiting the use of non-disclosure agreements benefits employees at those companies and slows worker turnover; and
WHEREAS, it is unlawful under the National Labor Relations Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to restrict employees from communicating with civil rights agencies and law enforcement through the use of pre- and post-dispute non-disclosure agreeme...
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