CHICAGO _ The city would expand sexual harassment protections to cover businesses under a proposal that would require training at companies with at least 50 employees.
The proposal from Alderman Margaret Laurino also would require businesses to post signs warning that sexual harassment is illegal and informing workers that complaints with city, state and federal agencies must be filed within 180 days of incidents.
Last fall, the City Council approved adding aldermen, the mayor, treasurer and city clerk to rules barring sexual harassment of other city officials or employees.
"City government is one of the largest employers in Chicago, so we started out getting our house in order with ordinances to protect workers against sexual harassment," Laurino said in a news release. "With this measure we're broadening the scope of Chicago's harassment-free zone to protect employees in larger to mid-sized firms."
It remains to be seen whether Laurino's latest proposal as currently constructed can get the backing of her colleagues and Mayor Rahm Emanuel's office. Chicago business groups might push back against the ordinance on the grounds it would be prohibitively expensive for smaller companies to follow the new standards.
