SUBSTITUTE ORDINANCE
WHEREAS, the City of Chicago is a home rule unit of government pursuant to the 1970 Illinois Constitution, Article VII, Section 6(a); and
WHEREAS, pursuant to its home rule power, the City of Chicago may exercise any power and perform any function relating to its government and affairs including the power to regulate for the protection of the public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and
WHEREAS, sexual harassment has long been an abhorred tool of subjugation and abuse in the workplace; and
WHEREAS, a spate of recent high-profile allegations against seemingly unassailable and powerful individuals has culminated in a clamor to hold all aggressors accountable for their actions regardless of their status; and
WHEREAS, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), 1 in 4 women and 1 in 10 men report being harassed in the workplace and many are reluctant to report it; and
WHEREAS, the EEOC and the City of Chicago define sexual harassment as "unwelcome sexual advances or request for sexual favors or conduct of a sexual nature when (i) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment or receipt of city services; or (ii) when submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis of an employment or service decision affecting the individual; or (iii) when such conduct has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with the work performance of an employee or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment;" and
WHEREAS, sexual harassment includes, but is not limited to, sexually suggestive gesturing, verbal harassment or abuse of a sexual nature, the displaying of sexual objects, requests for sexual favors, stalking, sexual assault, touching, patting, or pinching, sending sexually suggestive e-mails or text messages; and
WHEREAS, the City of Chicago is committed to ensuring that no employee is required to...
Click here for full text