INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Democrats on the City Council announced Friday that they will make changes after reports emerged that Mayor Joe Hogsett’s former chief of staff manipulated and sexually harassed several employees over a period of years.
Council President Vop Osili said in a statement that the council plans to create a human resources department separate from the mayor’s office to specifically handle complaints of sexual harassment and other discrimination. He said council members would amend the city code to require annual sexual harassment prevention training for all city employees.
City code currently requires this only for aldermen, department heads, directors and supervisors. In addition, Osili said aldermen will establish a commission to review the city’s current employee policies for any gaps.
“As the legislative branch of local government, we are committed to working together to determine the necessary changes to the City’s policies and systems to ensure a safe work environment for all employees now and in the future. Our priority is to create a workplace where every employee feels safe, valued and supported. We are focused on implementing improvements that place greater accountability on all leaders, whether elected, appointed or hired.”
City Councillor Vop Osili, (D) President of the City-District Council
Friday’s announcement follows reports that former Thomas Cook chief of staff sexually harassed at least three female employees in the mayor’s office over a period of about six years. Following the publication of the allegations by News 8’s reporting partner Mirror Indy, two of the former employees, Lauren Roberts and Caroline Ellert, sent an open letter to the City Council outlining several changes they want to see in city policy.
The Council’s announcement largely follows the calls of Roberts and Ellert, including hiring outside investigators and providing a separate reporting channel.
“Regardless of formal reforms, we all have a responsibility to break the culture of silence and victim blaming that gives rise to sexual harassment and enables it to continue, even when a survivor courageously speaks out, as Lauren did in 2017,” they wrote.
A Council spokesman said the Council’s reforms still had to go through the Council’s usual legislative process. A formal Council proposal has not yet been prepared.
