US

Report: A Third Of Interior Dept Employees Victims Of Harassment

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More than a third of Interior department employees have experience some form of workplace harassment or discrimination, according to a workplace environment study released Thursday.

The survey showed 35 percent of Interior employees were victims of harassment or discrimination in the past year. The Interior report follows a U.S. Park Service report in October that revealed 38.7 percent of employees reported experiencing harassment in the previous year.

“From day one, I made it clear that I have zero tolerance for any type of workplace harassment, and I have directed leadership across the entire Department to move rapidly to improve accountability and transparency with regard to this absolutely intolerable behavior,” Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said in a statement. “All employees have the right to work in a safe and harassment-free environment.”

“I’ve already fired a number of predators who other administrations were too afraid to remove or just turned a blind eye to. Under my leadership we don’t protect predators,” Zinke added. “When I say ‘zero tolerance’ I mean that these people will be held accountable for their abhorrent actions.”

Interior Deputy Secretary David Bernhardt has given each agency head under Interior department control 45 days to submit an “action plan” on addressing harassment and discrimination complaints.

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