PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Four years ago around this time, the #MeToo movement went viral. A Pennsylvania congressman and Delaware congresswoman cosponsored a re-introduced bill this week to stop employers from hiding harassment.
The Empower Act, co-sponsored by Philadelphia native Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Delaware at-large) and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Bucks County), would put an end to the use of non-disclosure agreements as a condition of employment.
Under the bill, existing non-disclosure agreements would become null and void. Employees and applicants would retain the right to pursue legal action regardless of any prior agreements.
The bipartisan bill would lift the veil of secrecy surrounding workplace harassment, strengthen employee protections, and increase transparency and accountability.
"It is time for meaningful federal legislation on these issues," said Fatima Goss Graves, who heads up the National Women's Law Center.
She said there are many reasons women don't report sexual harassment in the workplace.
"They fear jeopardizing their safety, their jobs, their financial security, their future career prospects," she added.
Goss Graves said that as the country continues to experience a cultural shift in what is acceptable at work and what is not, some employers are still trying to suppress disclosure of abuse by those in positions of power.
"While no workplace or industry is immune from harassment, one of the things we know is that harassment and other forms of discrimination persist in part because workers are prevented from speaking up about their experiences," said Goss Graves.
"It persists, because harassment itself thrives in the shadows."