The National Women’s Law Center has published its 2020 Progress Update: Me Too Workplace Reforms in the States. The report provides an overview of progress that has been made in advancing anti-harassment legislation for workers around the country and highlights how survivors have led the push for state law reforms. LVBH’s Wendy Musell is quoted in the report as an expert on the movement, the laws, and the change that is still needed.
In explaining why workplace harassment reforms should not be limited to sexual harassment, Ms. Musell states “It isn’t just white women who are getting sexually harassed, so it is an artificial construct to not include race, national origin, religion, etcetera [when strengthening anti-harassment protections]. Looking forward, we have a moment of opportunity that should be grasped to fill in these gaps on a national and statewide basis.”
On the topic of expanding access to justice, she brings her expertise on California’s new law extending the statute of limitations for worker civil rights violations to three years, saying, “Extending California’s statute of limitations has been extremely helpful for low-wage workers, who . . . often need to make very difficult decisions: how you pay rent, put food on the table, versus making a complaint. Having the additional time to stabilize their economic situations before they proceed is very important, and I think is one of the greatest positive moves for low income survivors of harassment.”