Oregon's public employers must have anti-harassment policies under new law

All Oregon public agencies, from the state Capitol to municipal governments, will need written workplace harassment policies starting next year under a new law signed by Gov. Kate Brown.

The law requires government officials to promptly investigate reports of harassment and follow up with employees who made the reports to determine if the harassment has stopped or if they experienced retaliation.

The law applies to reports of misconduct in a workplace, at a work-related event or at any other location if the incident involves employees, elected public officials, volunteers or interns.

Sen. Sara Gelser, D-Corvallis, co-sponsored Senate Bill 479, which takes effect Jan. 1.

Gelser said the bill was partly inspired by a 2018 case in West Linn when a city volunteer publicly accused a city councilor of repeated and unwanted sexual advances. City officials said the city didn’t have any process for reporting and addressing harassment allegations against elected officials or volunteers.

Read more: https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2019/06/oregons-public-employers-must-have-anti-harassment-policies-under-new-law.html