You Are Human, So Am I: The Right To Work Free of Harassment and Abuse

Sexual harassment in the workplace remains a problem for many U.S. women, but some are particularly vulnerable to employer exploitation. Last month, DiMare Ruskin, one of Florida’s largest tomato growers, settled a suit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission stemming from the complaints of several women who experienced repeated sexual harassment in the fields. As the Coalition for Immokalee Workers states, “suffice it to say that, even by the dismally low standards of the fields, the picture of a hostile workplace painted by the women was exceptional for its harshness and depravity.” As the New Feminist Solutions report “Valuing Domestic Work” notes, both domestic workers and farm workers have long been discriminated against under U.S. labor laws:

When New Deal labor legislation was enacted in the 1930s, Southern Congressman, concerned about maintaining control over the African American labor force, insisted on the exclusion of domestic and agricultural workers from Social Security, minimum wage, and collective bargaining laws. Consequently, domestic [and agricultural] workers were denied basic labor protections and avenues for protest guaranteed to nearly all others in the American workforce […] This lack of legal protection has resulted in a particularly vulnerable workforce that is left at the mercy of its employers.

This vulnerability continues to have a massive impact on labor conditions. In May, respected non-profit Human Rights Watch released a report detailing the pervasive harassment faced by farm workers, particularly women who are undocumented immigrants. And domestic workers around the world face similar concerns, says Liesl Gerntholtz, the Director of the Women’s Rights Division of Human Rights Watch: “Because they are such a vulnerable class of employees, employers were able to get away with appalling behavior. ” Thankfully, advocates have begun to win broader protections for farm workers and domestic workers, with programs such as the Fair Food Program and the Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights. Still, many challenges remain in ensuring that all people are guaranteed a safe workplace. Related:

• Domestic Work, Migration and Gender
• Women in the Workforce, a BCRW Archival Exhibit
• Paid Sick Leave: A Feminist Issue
• Sex, Power and Speaking Truth: Anita Hill 20 Years Later

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