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, the Chicago City Council has recently enacted ordinances to ensure that prohibited sexual harassment by all elected City officials of any other City official or employees; and
WHEREAS, though these laws and internal policies govern sexual harassment in the workplace, some victims fall outside of the protections afforded to employees; and
WHEREAS, for lobbyists, vendors, contractors, and members of the general public that interact with governmental bodies on a daily basis, there is a protection gap with respect to sexual harassment in these interactions; and
WHEREAS, the Chicago City Council continues to lead the charge to close the gap in protecting all from sexual harassment; now therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF CHICAGO:
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SECTION 1. Section 2-156-010 of the Municipal Code of Chicago is hereby amended by inserting the underscored language as follows:
(Omitted sections are unaffected by this ordinance.)
(z) "Sexual harassment" means any unwelcome sexual advances or requests 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 of any governmental decision: or (ii) submission to or rejection of s...
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