WASHINGTON (AP) — Washington Commanders created a “toxic work culture” for more than two decades, “ignoring and trivializing sexual misconduct” by men at the top levels of the organization, according to a report published Thursday by the US House Committee on Oversight and Reform.
Commanding owner Dan Snyder was implicated in the breach, according to the report, which said he inappropriately touched a former employee at dinner, had staff make a video of “sexually suggestive cheerleading footage”, and ordered that women auditioning to be the cheerleader walked the field “while she and her friends gawked from her room through binoculars.”
Snyder also meddled in what is known as the Wilkinson investigation, eventually taken over by the NFL, into former employees who alleged rampant sexual harassment in 2020 by team executives, the report said. He also conducted a separate shadow investigation, which the report said was used by his lawyers to “cast him as the victim of a defamation campaign… and shift responsibility for the team’s toxic work culture.”
The team owner also interfered with the House committee’s investigation by “intimidating witnesses,” “refusing to relieve former employees of their obligations of confidentiality” and blocking “the Committee’s access to tens of thousands of documents collected during the Wilkinson Investigation.” When Snyder testified in his deposition to the committee, the report says, he was evasive and misleading and said more than 100 times that he didn’t remember anything.
WATCH: Congress accuses ‘shadow’ investigation by Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder
The NFL was not shielded from criticism in the report, which said the league “misled the public about the handling of the Wilkinson Investigation”, “continued to minimize workplace abuse across the league”, “has not protected workers from sexual harassment and abuse,” and “has not sought true accountability.” for those in charge.”
Neither the NFL nor Snyder’s legal team immediately responded to messages seeking comment.
The Commander’s legal counsel, John Brownlee and Stuart Nash, said in a statement that the committee’s work was “unilateral” and there were “no new disclosures” in Thursday’s report.
“And, ironically for the ‘investigation’ agency, which is supposed to be involved in the ‘investigation’, the investigators actually criticized the team and Mr. Snyder for providing the Committee with evidence — such as emails of former team employees sent from their workplace accounts — that exposed the true cause of previously dysfunctional workplace environment in the team,” said the statement.
Legal advisers say the team is proud of the progress it has made in recent years in building a welcoming and inclusive workplace, and looks forward to future success, both on and off the pitch.
Lisa Banks and Debra Katz, who represent more than 40 former Commander employees, said in a statement Thursday that the “committee’s work resulted in important legislation restricting the use of nondisclosure agreements, which will help prevent widespread harassment like this.” in other American workplaces.”
The House committee opened its investigation after the NFL failed to release a written report from attorney Beth Wilkinson’s review of teamwork workplace culture in the summer of 2021 which resulted in a $10 million fine. It was fueled by several former employees who said they were sexually harassed while working for the team.
Republicans have said they will drop the case as soon as they take control of the House early next year. In a memo dated Wednesday and provided to Members of the Republican Oversight Committee “in anticipation of the release of the Democratic report,” Republicans said Democrats “relied the unfounded allegations as fact.”
Snyder and his wife, Tanya, recently hired Bank of America Securities to explore selling part or all of the team it has owned since 1999. The value of the Commanders is estimated at $5.6 billion, according to Forbes —a sevenfold increase over the record $800 million Snyder paid then for the team in 1999.
Just last month, the team settled with the state of Maryland, agreeing to refund former season ticket holders’ bail and pay a $250,000 fine. A few days earlier, the District of Columbia had sued the Commanders in civil court for what it called a scheme to defraud season ticket holders.
AP Sports writers Stephen Whyno, Rob Maaddi and Erica Hunzinger contributed to this report.
What qualifies as a hostile work environment?
A hostile work environment occurs when the harassment is so severe and widespread that it alters your ability to do your job. The behavior must be more than offensive; it should be objectively abusive. Read also : PRESS RELEASE. The harasser can be anyone in the workplace, including supervisors, coworkers, or even customers or clients.
What are three types of hostile work environments? Elements of a hostile work environment include: An intimidating environment. Offensive behavior. Physical or mental abuse.
What is a toxic work environment? A toxic work environment is one in which negative behavior—such as manipulation, bullying, yelling, and so on—is so intrinsic to the organizational culture that lack of productivity, lack of trust, high levels of stress, fighting, and discrimination become the norm.
What evidence of a hostile work environment? To meet the requirements of a hostile work environment, the behavior must be: Pervasive, severe and persistent. Interfere with the victim’s work. Something the employer knows and does not adequately address to terminate.
What are examples of hostile work environment include?
Examples of Hostile Behavior in the Workplace Read also : 49ers Falcons Football | National Sports | hjnews.com.
- Sexual harassment includes sexually suggestive behavior, showing photos, unwanted physical touching, making sexual jokes, or invading someone’s private space.
- Discriminatory, racist comments or jokes, or ethnic slurs.
- Consistently commenting on someone’s appearance.
What does the EEOC consider a hostile work environment? Harassment is a cause for creating a hostile work environment. For the workplace to be considered a hostile work environment, some forms of unwelcome behavior must be discriminatory based on protected characteristics of the EEOC. Workplace harassment can be perpetrated by an employer, supervisor, co-worker or client.
Paid the agreed wages on the agreed date and at the agreed time. To be provided with the proper resources and equipment to enable him to do the job. Have safe working conditions. For fair labor practices.
