April 28, 2022
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Inspector General Lucy Lang commends Governor Kathy Hochul for actions taken to protect state employees from gender-based violence, stalking, and sexual assault |
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NEW YORK - Today, Governor Kathy Hochul expanded New York State's approach to preventing gender-based violence, stalking, and sexual assault in the workplace by adopting many of Inspector General Lucy Lang’s recommendations issued earlier this morning at the New York State Crime Victims Memorial. The new Executive Order, signed today by Governor Hochul, and effective immediately, will modernize the state's workplace policies, procedures, and trainings, resulting in a safer environment for all employees, ensuring that responses to domestic violence is survivor-centered, trauma-informed and culturally responsive. The Governor’s Executive Order follows a newly issued investigative report by Inspector General Lang revealing failures by senior leadership at State agencies overseen by the prior administration to comply with their own domestic violence policies due to a lack of agency awareness of and sensitivity to domestic violence issues. Among the Inspector General’s recommendations was designating one or more agency liaisons to the Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence (OPDV) and distribute the liaison name(s) and contact information to staff. Since a 2008 executive order, State agencies have been required to utilize OPDV’s model to formulate and adopt policies of their own, but it was not until today that the designation of and dissemination of the contact information for the liaison was mandatory. The Inspector General commends the Governor for addressing this critical gap in policy. As she also announced earlier today, Inspector General Lang has launched a comprehensive audit of all State executive branch agencies to assess compliance with State Domestic Violence and the Workplace mandates and will now include these additional requirements. The Inspector General’s Office will provide these findings to OPDV who will work with these agencies to ensure compliance and provide training and resources. |
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