Workers say ABM still looking away, years after agreeing to make improvements
The largest janitorial company in the United States, ABM Industries Inc., is facing new charges that it ignores sexual abuse in the workplace. The company settled three previous law suits by the federal government, promising each time to improve its approach to allegations of sexual misconduct.
In new cases in Fresno, California, female janitors say that supervisors exploit their positions of power, and the isolation of night shift workers, while the company still turns a blind eye.
According to the US Department of Justice, there are 17,000 sexual assaults at work every year.
A new law in Oregon requires janitorial contractors to register through the state’s Bureau of Labor and Industries, and to complete sexual assault and harassment prevention training. The law gained momentum following release of the documentary Rape on the Night Shift. Oregon joins California, which in 2016 also passed legislation requiring janitorial companies to complete sexual harassment training.
Watch the Frontline documentary Rape on the Night Shift.
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