The Fall of Andrew Cuomo: How (Not) to Handle Workplace Harassment
In this episode, we speak with employment lawyer Alex Berke. She breaks down Andrew Cuomo’s violation of his own sexual harassment laws. If you or someone you know is experiencing sexual or gender based harassment at work please do not hesitate to reach out to the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund. The initial consultation is free of charge.
The more powerful the alleged harasser is, the more that other people around them will work to insulate them from harm.
- Attorney Alex Berke
Last week, we covered the current situation in Afghanistan, and now we turn our eyes to New York to share an important story that deserves our continued collective attention. Today, we are talking about sexual harassment in the workplace and the scandals surrounding Former Governor Andrew Cuomo.
The former governor resigned on August 24th, after Attorney General Letitia James made public an exhaustive and damning report on the allegations of his misconduct. Eleven women have come forward with allegations of name-calling, groping, inappropriate comments, questions, touches, and even kisses. It’s gross. It’s hostile. And unfortunately, it’s all too common.
While Times Up and Me Too have expanded and liberated the conversation about sexual harassment and assault, still more than half of all women experience workplace harassment, Some research counts as high as 81% of all women, 70% of all queer, lesbian, gay, bisexual and non-binary people and 16% of men. And as many as 90% of all incidents of harassment are not documented formally.
The Cuomo Administration passed legislation as recently as 2019 expanding the definition of workplace harassment, lowering the threshold to allow survivors more time and nuance to make reports, and mandating certain harassment mitigating policies and practices. The allegations against Andrew Cuomo specifically describe violations of both these laws and federal law.
Kathy Hochul is New York’s new governor, the first female governor of the state who says she “wants people to believe in their government again.” She brings with her an administration full of women in leadership, shattering many glass ceilings for the state and the nation. Time will only tell, but the data shows that when women are in charge, everyone is safer.
Today we share an interview with attorney Alex Berke, an employment lawyer in New York who delves into the policies adopted by the Cuomo Administration, the scandal surrounding the former governor, and what you can do if you are experiencing harassment at work.
To get the full story on Andrew Cuomo and the dangers of workplace harassment, you can find The Delve on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever else you get your podcasts.
Alex Berke’s article, ‘Cuomo’s textbook violation of his own sexual harassment law,’ can be found on the Daily Beast.
