Final Set of Statistics on Harassment and Discrimination in the Congressional Workplace

Press Release

As part of the Committee on House Administration's extensive review of sexual harassment and discrimination in the congressional workplace, Chairman Gregg Harper (R-Miss.) received the final set of statistics on settlements and awards from the Office of Compliance (OOC). The OOC provided the Committee with these statistics of settlements and awards paid by type of claims as a result of cases originating with an employing office in the House of Representatives from FY1996 -- FY2002.

Chairman Harper said: "As I have stated from the beginning of this review, one case of sexual harassment is one case too many. Over the course of this review it became clear there were major reforms needed to the current processes and procedures in the House. Last week, our bipartisan group of Members introduced legislation with the goal of creating a culture within our Capitol Hill community that instills respect, all the while bringing more transparency, accountability, and stronger protections for employees to the House. Our bill, the CAA Reform Act, will also require the OOC to report and publish online every six months information on awards and settlements. As a part of our review, I asked the OOC for a breakdown of the total amount that has been reported by their office for all cases involving claims of violations of the Congressional Accountability Act. We released the previous sets of data provided to the Committee on December 1, December 19, and January 12. The OOC provided our Committee with the final set of statistics from FY1996 through FY2002 involving offices within the House of Representatives."

Additional information regarding settlements between FY1996 and FY2002 provided by Susan Tsui Grundmann with the Office of Compliance to Chairman Harper:

Claims against Member-led Offices from FY 1996-2002:
1. Race and sex discrimination and retaliation $7,000.00
2. Race and sex discrimination, retaliation, and FLSA violation (overtime) $12,200.00
3. Sex discrimination, retaliation, and FLSA violation (overtime) $2,500.00
4. FMLA violation $5,729.00
5. FLSA violation (Equal Pay Act) $9,000.00
6. Sex & disability discrimination, retaliation, FMLA and FLSA violations (overtime) $7,500.00
7. Disability discrimination and FLSA violation (overtime) $10,000.00
8. Retaliation $9,500.00
9. Race, color, and sex discrimination $18,750.00
10. Unspecified type of discrimination regarding compensation & promotion $9,800.00
11. Sex discrimination $5,000.00
12. Race, sex, and age discrimination $10,000.00
13. FLSA (overtime) and retaliation $4,000.00
14. Sex and disability discrimination $9,000.00
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Total of Settlement Amounts for Member-led offices: $119,979.00

Claims Against Non-Member-led Offices from FY 1996-2002:
1. Sex discrimination and FMLA violation $3,000.00
2. Disability discrimination and retaliation $1,500.00
3. Age discrimination $500.00
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Total of Settlement Amounts for Non-Member Led Offices: $5,000.00

Total of Settlement Amounts for All House Offices (FY 1996-2002): $124,979.00

Source