Governor issues sexual harassment executive order

Gov. Rick Scott has once again expressed his disgust with sexual bullies. This time, he's adding the authority of his office to his outrage.

Scott issued an executive order Wednesday to protect state employees from sexual harassment. He ordered the more than 30 agencies and departments that report to him to immediately designate a person to receive sexual harassment complaints – it may be the HR director or general counsel.

The order Scott signed directs a wide swath of state government -- including the departments of education, law enforcement, and revenue -- to implement new procedures for handling sexual complaints and training for new hires.

“It’s absolutely disgusting to hear about the numerous accounts of sexual harassment happening across the country,” Scott said. “Everyone deserves to work in an environment that is safe and free from any form of sexual harassment.”

Scott ordered the bevy of departments, commissions and agencies under his command to initiate a “prompt” review of harassment complaints and:

• consult with General Counsel on how to proceed,
• protect the complainant from retaliation,
• protect disclosure of personal identification information of victim,
• eliminate further contact between complainant and subject of complaint,
• confer with complainant following investigation and any corrective action taken,
• provide counseling and resources from the state employee assistance program.

“AFSCME strongly supports the governor’s executive order regarding sexual harassment,” said Mark McCullough, spokesman for the largest labor union representing state workers.

“We are hopeful it will give victims the ability to come forward without fear or intimidation for themselves or their careers.”

The Florida statehouse has become embroiled in a battle of the sexes that have involved two powerful senators. Sen. Jeff Clemens, expected to be the next Democratic leaders was forced to resign after allegations involving a female lobbyist.

That was followed by a Senate staffer hurling harassment allegations against Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater. Latvala resigned as chair of the Appropriations Committee and is fighting the charges while the Senate investigates

Scott said he wanted to standardize how state agencies handle sexual complaints.

“Every agency was doing it a little bit differently. This sets up a process where we have clear expectations of what the training would be, what the reporting process would be,” said Scott. “It’s to ensure that we have a process that works.”

During the past seven years of the Scott administration, the state has paid out more than $400,000 to complainants working in executive agencies. More than a quarter of the money involved one case at the Department of Health.

The new procedures are in addition to legislation approved this year that created a public records exemption for the identity of state employees who filed a sexual harassment complaint.

When asked about Tuesday’s defeat of a U.S. Senate candidate in Alabama dogged by sexual misconduct allegations, Scott said he was quite vocal that the stories were “disgusting” and recommended that Roy Moore should have dropped out of the race.

“He didn’t do the right thing,” said Scott.

Reporter James Call can be reached at jcall@tallahassee.com.