January 23, 2023

Bill Alert: Pass the Harasser Legislation

Overview

Currently, there is a loop-hole in the Washington State Code which requires job applicants to disclose harassment findings by previous employers. However, within academia, employers are not the only entities which investigate harassment claims. Harassment at the scholarly level can be investigated by associations of academics sponsoring conferences, such as the American Anthropological Association. The way the law is currently written, job applicants are not required to disclose findings by these types of associations.

The Pass the Harasser legislation proposed by Rep. Pollet is a first in the nation effort to make sure universities are aware of a job applicant’s WHOLE history of sexual harassment. This legislation expands the scope of required disclosures to close this existing loophole.

Take Action

Here is how you can contribute to the passage of this legislation:

If you are a Washington resident (just by living on campus, you are represented in the legislature), you can email your House Representatives, encouraging them to sign on as co-sponsors of the legislation. You can find your representative HERE. You can find legislator emails, and the legislative assistant emails, HERE. We recommend you send emails directly to your representatives and cc their legislative assistant(s). Check on the legislation’s website to make sure the legislator you are about to email is not already listed as a co-sponsor, we don’t want to annoy/overwhelm our legislators.

Here are recommended talking points:

• A loophole currently exists in the job applicant disclosure law: current law requires job applicants to disclose harassment findings by previous employers. However, within academia, employers are not the only entities which investigate harassment claims. Harassment at the scholarly level can be investigated by associations of academics sponsoring conferences, such as the American Anthropological Association. The way the law is currently written, job applicants are not required to disclose findings by these types of associations.
• Washington’s Pass the Harasser legislation is a first in the nation effort to make sure universities are aware of a job applicants FULL history of sexual harassment. This bill will expand the scope of required disclosures to close this existing loophole.

Here is a sample email you can use:

Dear Rep. NAME,

My name is YOUR NAME, I am a student at the University of Washington, and your constituent in the NUMBER district. I am writing to you today to ask you to co-sponsor HB 1522, the Pass the Harasser law. This legislation closes a loophole that currently exists in required disclosures for job applicants.

A loophole currently exists in the job applicant disclosure law: current law requires job applicants to disclose harassment findings by previous employers. However, within academia, employers are not the only entities which investigate harassment claims. Harassment at the scholarly level can be investigated by associations of academics sponsoring conferences, such as the American Anthropological Association. The way the law is currently written, job applicants are not required to disclose findings by these types of associations.

Washington’s Pass the Harasser legislation is a first in the nation effort to make sure universities are aware of a job applicants FULL history of sexual harassment. This bill will expand the scope of required disclosures to close this existing loophole.

This is a priority for students at the University of Washington, across the state, and many of your constituents. We hope that you will consider co-sponsoring this legislation, help maintain sexual misconduct accountability, and help sexual assault survivors across the state.

Thank you for your consideration,

YOUR NAME