INDIANAPOLIS — UPDATE: On Aug. 16, the mayor's office confirmed an executive order was coming on sexual harassment training for city-county employees.
"In the coming days, Mayor Hogsett will sign an executive order, which will require all city-county employees to complete two-hour harassment training annually. This was shared with city-county employees in an email this afternoon."
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett addressed allegations his former Chief of Staff Thomas Cook sexually harassed former employees for the city and Hogsett's campaign.
At the Aug. 12 City-County Council meeting, with Lauren Roberts and Caroline Ellert in attendance, Hogsett pledged to improve protections for employees.
Hogsett apologized to both women and the anonymous third survivor who also reported alleged abuse by Cook.
"I want to tell you both how sorry I am for the harm that has occurred," Hogsett said.
He then acknowledged and seemed to confirm the allegations.
"His conduct was a betrayal of the trust placed in him as a public official, a betrayal of my trust, and—most importantly—a violation of the City’s responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of all employees," Hogsett said.
Hogsett pledged to make sure all employees would know their rights and the protections they were owed. Hogsett promised to have the city's employee's handbook reviewed by a third-party firm.
Hogsett said that starting this year, all employees will receive mandatory sexual harassment training. Previously, only management had to receive the training.
The mayor also outlined a new anonymous online reporting form for employees who feel they have been victimized. The city will also hire a third-party service to handle allegations independent of city management.
Hogsett said that all city employees have access to mental health counseling. Hogsett said the city will make sure employees know how to access the services.
RELATED: City-County Council president promises action to protect against harassment and discrimination
After the mayor's speech, the council suspended its rules to add two proposals to the agenda: one that would enact the mayor's proposal, and another to form an investigating committee to look into the harassment allegations.
Both proposals were added to the agenda with bipartisan support.
Sexual harassment review
The first proposal added calls for the Rules and Public Police Committee to look into changes to better protect city-county employees from sexual harassment. They would be empowered to do the following:
- Consider whether the city needs a separate HR department for sexual harassment and discrimination complaints
- Look into making a third party commission to investigate the city's current harassment policies to find areas of possible improvement
- Propose an update to city code giving all employees mandatory sexual harassment training
- An other actions needed to ensure all city employees are working a safe environment
The proposal now heads to the Rules and Public Policy Committee.
Sexual harassment investigation
The second proposal, put forward by Republicans, call for an investigation into any sexual harassment allegations made by city-county employees. It would also investigate how Hogsett handled the allegations.
The Investigative Committee would include six Democrats and three Republicans. It would meet at least once a month.
The committee could subpoena witnesses, documents and electronic records.
At the end of the investigation, the committee would present a report on what they found and any steps they recommend to prevent future abuses.
The proposal also heads to the Rules and Public Policy Committee.
In a joint statement, the Republicans on the council wrote, "True change cannot come without accountability, and we are looking forward to working with our counterparts on the other side of the aisle to bring accountability."
The Rules and Public Policy Committee has moved up its meeting to discuss proposals surrounding the sexual harassment allegations. They will now meet at 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 23, in the Public Assembly at the City-County Building in Indianapolis.
13News obtained this text of Hogsett's correspondence Friday:
Dear Fellow City-County Employees,
As the Mayor and leader of the City-County enterprise, it is of critical importance to me and this administration that we have a safe, welcoming, and inclusive workplace for all employees.
In accordance with a 2019 City-County Council ordinance, Human Resources emailed all officers, Councilors, supervisors and managers within the enterprise to let them know it is time to complete mandatory harassment training. Under the ordinance, this training must be done every two years.
I received the email from Human Resources at close of business yesterday, notifying me that I had until October 30, 2024, to complete my two-hour training. This morning, I did just that. Records reflect that I also completed this training in both 2022 and 2020, each time it was required of me under this ordinance.
In the coming days, I will be signing an executive order which will require all city-county employees to complete the two-hour training annually. This will allow every single person who serves this community to know their rights, their protections, their reporting obligations, and what to do if they find themselves on the receiving end of any unacceptable behavior.
I fully expect all employees to complete this training as it plays an important role in ensuring our workplace is a safe one that is free from any type of harassment.
But protecting our employees doesn't stop there.
Soon, an anonymous online reporting form will be available to all employees. You will receive an email from Human Resources once that form is ready for use.
The City will hire a national firm, without any local ties, to review and update our entire Employee Handbook.
We are also committed to making sure every person who calls the City of Indianapolis their employer knows the availability of and how to access the free mental health support through our Employee Assistance Program. All should have received an email earlier today highlighting all the resources available to employees and their families.
The safety of every city-county employee is of the utmost importance to me. As Mayor, I will continue to press for changes that create a safe and equitable workplace for all.
Sincerely,
Mayor Joe Hogsett