He should have known better!
All employers in New York State must educate their workers about sexual harassment under a law signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo – but he does not seem to learn much from it.
Two “case studies” from the October issue of the state’s online training for the prevention of sexual harassment models provide examples of inappropriate behavior that are strikingly consistent with some of the allegations against the governor.
The one – called “The Boss with a Bad Attitude” – involves a male supervisor named Paul, who tells a female subordinate named Sharon that ‘he’s glad she joined the staff, because .. she’s easy to see. ‘”
Regarding these remarks, the training material says: ‘It does not matter that Paul Sharon apparently paid’ compliment ‘. The discussion is still offensive to Sharon, as it would be for the most reasonable persons in her situation. ”
In Cuomo’s case, former assistant Lindsey Boylan, 36, said Cuomo sexually harassed her “over my appearance”, adding, “It was that way for years.”
Another case study is titled ‘Too Close for Ease’, involving a female boss named Sarah who touches the hand or shoulder of a subordinate named Keisha while discussing Keisha’s reports with her.
Eventually Sarah “traps” Keisha in her office, and then “puts her hand over Keisha’s chest” when Keisha leaves for a meeting.
“Any kind of sexual contact is very serious and Keisha should report it immediately without waiting for it to be repeated,” the training material says.
“Sarah can expect to receive formal discipline, including possible firing.”
In Cuomo’s case, he is accused of putting his hand on the exposed back of Anna Ruch, 33, grabbing her face and kissing her without permission after serving at a 2019 wedding in Manhattan.
Boylan, now a Democratic candidate for the borough of Manhattan, also accused Cuomo of kissing her without permission in his Manhattan office after a meeting there in 2018.
During a Wednesday news conference that was his first public appearance since the scandal broke out last week, Cuomo was asked if he would undergo the state’s compulsory training.
“Short answer is, yes,” he said, without elaborating further.
Cuomo also claims: “I never knew at the time that I would make anyone feel uncomfortable.”
“And if I ever made people feel uncomfortable, which I now understand, I apologize,” he added.
Following Cuomo’s remarks, Boylan tweeted, “How can New Yorkers trust you @NYGovCuomo to lead our state if you ‘did not know’ when you were inappropriate with your own staff?”
Ruch did not immediately return a request for comment, but a lawyer for a third defendant, Charlotte Bennett, 25, cited Cuomo’s remarks as full of falsehoods and inaccurate information.
The annual training mandate went into effect in October 2018 as part of the “Women’s Opportunity Agenda” that Cuomo advocated that year.
If employers do not use the state’s model program, the minimum requirements to ensure that the training is interactive are an outline of sexual harassment that conforms to state guidelines and provides examples of prohibited behavior.