The United States Department of Justice announced that it has reached an agreement with the State of New York Executive Chamber to resolve claims of sexual harassment and retaliation under former Governor Andrew Cuomo. The agreement, which memorializes the reforms already implemented by current Governor Kathy Hochul, aims to prevent future incidents of sexual harassment and retaliation within the Executive Chamber.

The investigation, conducted jointly by the Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York, revealed several troubling findings. It found that the Executive Chamber under former Governor Cuomo had created a sexually hostile work environment for female employees. Additionally, it was discovered that the chamber had tolerated this environment and failed to address the issue on an agency-wide basis. Furthermore, employees who spoke out about the harassment faced retaliation.

The agreement acknowledges the ongoing efforts by Governor Hochul to address the alleged misconduct and enacts further reforms to prevent sexual harassment and retaliation. These reforms aim to ensure that the employees of the Executive Chamber can work in an environment free from fear and harassment.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division expressed her concern about the power differential and lack of avenues for reporting and redress in the Executive Chamber under the former governor. The settlement agreement underscores the importance of addressing system failures while taking steps to prevent the recurrence of systemic sexual harassment and retaliation.

U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York commended Governor Hochul's determination to prevent sexual harassment within the highest levels of New York State government. The agreement reflects the shared goal of creating comprehensive policies that will effectively prevent sexual harassment in the Executive Chamber.

The enforcement of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other federal laws against employment discrimination is a top priority for the Department of Justice. This agreement is part of the Civil Rights Division's Employment Litigation Section's Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Initiative, which seeks to eradicate sexual harassment in state and local government workplaces. The initiative focuses on litigation, outreach, and developing effective remedial measures to address and prevent sex discrimination and harassment.

For more information about the work of the Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York in civil rights enforcement and employment litigation, visit the official website of the U.S. Department of Justice at www.justice.gov/crt/employment-litigation-section and www.justice.gov/usao-edny/civil-rights.

The Department of Justice encourages anyone with questions about government services or concerns regarding sexual harassment and discrimination to contact their Office of Public Affairs or access the Department's main switchboard for assistance.