Burke Appointed to Sexual Harassment and Discrimination Task Force

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – As women in Illinois and across the country continue to come forward and demand an end to sexual harassment and discrimination, state Rep. Kelly Burke, D-Evergreen, will serve on a newly created Task Force on Sexual Discrimination and Harassment charged with researching new policies that will combat harassment in both state government and the private sector.

“It is clear we have a problem in our country when it comes to sexual harassment and discrimination, and we must take action to change our culture,” Burke said. “As a mother, I want my daughter and all young women to know they have the right to live and work in an environment free from harassment and discrimination.”

Earlier this month, Burke joined with her colleagues to pass legislation creating a task force to conduct a comprehensive review of the legal and social consequences of sexual discrimination and harassment in both the public and private sector and make recommendations to the General Assembly to combat this behavior.

Burke also cosponsored a package of legislative measures to crackdown on sexual harassment in state government, ensure offenders are brought to justice, and that steps are taken to continue combating workplace discrimination and harassment in both the public and private sector. She also supported legislation ensuring that the newly appointed legislative inspector general has enough time to complete investigations of all complaints pending, despite a one-year statute of limitations.

“Changing our culture must start by making sure the individuals who have committed acts of sexual harassment are identified and that they face the repercussions of their actions,” Burke said. “We must also begin working at all levels of government and in the private sector to ensure women are no longer sexually harassed and discriminated against and that those who commit these acts in the future are made public, they are shammed, and that we take steps to end sexual harassment.”