The Time's up Legal Defense Fund by the Numbers
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TIME’S UP THE TIME’S UP LEGAL DEFENSE FUND BY THE NUMBERS 3,755 People who have sought help 792 Attorneys in the network 75 Cases funded so far 35 Cases receiving media assistance Committed so far to cases Grants awarded for outreach to workers THE $750,000 In outreach grants ERCENTAE O EOLE HO ENT AS LO NCOE CLOCK68% HAS RUN OUTCover photo: Dave Moser, davemoser.com A MESSAGE FROM THE TIME’S UP LEGAL DEFENSE FUND CO-FOUNDERS Dear Friends ~ On January 1, 2018, we announced the c reation of TIME’S UP commitments from 200 donors. Today, more than 21,000 people Few letters have had such an outsized impact. and the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund. We had $13 million in from around the world have contributed more than $22 million “Dear Sisters,” it began. “ We wish that we could say we’re shocked to connect women who experience workplace sexual harassment to learn that this is such a pervasive problem in your industry. Sadly, and retaliation with attorneys and, in some cases, media specialists. we’re not surprised because it’s a reality we know far too well. It is the largest amount of money ever raised on the crowd-funding Countless farmworker women across our country suffer in silence because of the widespread sexual harassment and assault that they website GoFundMe. The TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund has already face at work...please know that you’re not alone. We believe and stand dozens of cases. committed more than $5 million to defray legal and PR costs in with you.” , administered by the The letter was written to women survivors in Hollywood in the fall responded to more So far, the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund of 2017 by Alianza Nacional de Campesinas (National Farmworkers than 3,700 workers — overwhelmingly women — by giving National Women’s Law Center Fund LLC, has them the names of lawyers who will provide a free initial organization in the United States. It was published soon after brave consultation. The Fund also provides storytelling and media Women’s Alliance), the first national farmworker women’s actresses spoke their truth about Harvey Weinstein’s abuse, and as relations support in select cases. Because while sexual assault and harassment happens in private, bullying often occurs in the open. So, women around the world amplified Alyssa Milano’s tweet lifting up women everywhere. as the courts. Tarana Burke’s #MeToo framework in solidarity with brave when women choose to, we help them fight back in the media as well The farmworkers’ support deeply moved the more than 300 women This support has been made possible because of the generosity of strategize about how to prevent abuse and ensure equity in their survivors, and we are so very grateful. working in film, television, and theater who had been meeting to our donors and volunteers, who are giving selflessly to help so many industry. The farmworkers’ letter gave them a powerful push to We believe that we stand on the precipice of profound change turn those meetings into action—and to ensure their work was felt for women. Workers are coming forward and, remarkably, the world beyond Hollywood. They called for change across all industries, not just their own. and advocates are linking arms across sectors. We are witnessing a is paying attention. Powerful men are being held to account. Women cultural transformation. Sexual harassment and assault is rampant. So many people need help fighting back – especially women working at low-wage jobs And while we are so proud of the progress we’ve made in our who can’t afford attorneys to represent them. And so many of our we have only just begun. With your workplaces need structural change. continued support, we believe that one day sexual harassment will first year, rest assured that become something we only read about in our history books. i r where you work or live. And so much more. With our deepest thanks, More women at the top. Equal pay. Safety, no matte Fatima, Hilary, Roberta, Tina Fatima Goss Graves Roberta Kaplan Hilary Rosen Tina Tchen President & CEO, Founding Partner at Partner at SKDKnickerbocker Partner & Head of Buckley National Women’s Law Center Kaplan Hecker & Fink Sandler’s Chicago office ANNUAL REPORT 2018 1 TIME’S UP LEGAL DEFENSE FUND CASES: THE WORKERS THE HOTEL COOK a Black woman who worked as the MALIN DEVOUE, harassed by the hotel’s chief engineer. He repeatedly head cook at a hotel in Philadelphia, was sexually asked to date her, tried to bribe her with money and gifts to go out with him, and stared at her body. the hotel’s general manager. The hotel took no DeVoue rejected his advances and complained to action to discipline the harasser and allowed the harassment to continue. After she complained again, the hotel terminated her while maintaining to an attorney, she told the Washington Post, the harasser’s job. After the Fund connected DeVoue “I’m brave now! I’m brave.” Photo: Dave Moser, davemoser.com THE TEACHERS THE MCDONALD’S WORKERS on her buttocks by a boys basketballEQUAL coach who also made Annie Delgado, a Latina teacher in Merced, California, was slapped Ten women of color working in low-wage jobs at McDonald’s lewd comments to her at a school function in 2017. The school against the company. After they reported the harassment to restaurants in nine cities recently filed sexual harassment charges investigated and reprimanded the coach. But after the school district honored the coach to mark his 400th win and a school virtually nothing was done to tackle the abuse. The plaintiffs supervisors, several were fired or given fewer work hours, and administrator belittled Delgado for reporting the incident, Delgado include a 15-year-old girl in St. Louis who had just finished the 9th for school to be over so she could start as a drive-through window decided“I was drowning,” to find a TIME’S she told UP the attorney. Los Angeles Times. “One day I sat grade and was excited to get her first real job. She couldn’t wait worker. She planned to use her paycheck to help support her down and asked for help. I remember thinking that if this doesn’t mother and younger sister and even pay for a few items for herself, work, then I have nothing.” such as clothes and a phone. A male grill worker immediately strengthen its sexual harassment policies. “I just remember crying commented about her breasts and what he wanted to do with her. She and her attorney, Jackie Len, are pushing the district to fixated on her, following her around the store and staring at her. He “In some ways, this She complained to her supervisor, who told her she would never has been a life preserver. I felt like I was finally being heard.” — I was so grateful,” Delgado said about Len. win this fight. 2 ANNUAL REPORT 2018 THE CANNABIS FACILITY CASHIER THE MILITARY CONTRACTOR “Carl,” * a white transgender man, worked as a cashier earning “Jessica,” a white woman, was working as a military contractor minimum wage at a pot emporium in Washington State. When Carl when she asked her employer for a room to use a breast pump was hired, his manager was excited to have him and regularly gave after she had her fourth child. To her horror, her employer initially him additional assignments. When Carl, who trusted the manager, refused to provide her with a safe and sanitary place to pump, told her about his gender identity, the manager’s treatment of him forcing her to pump in her car, before later offering her a dirty changed radically. She belittled his work and criticized him to other employees and customers. She spied on him using the in-store supervisors asked her for milk for their donuts and coffee, telling office, where employees would jiggle the door to try to enter. Male video system. She intentionally referred to him as “she/he” in front her that her breasts looked large, and offering to “do one” while she of other workers and customers, which led to Carl’s gender identity “did” the other. Jessica was traumatized by the abuse, and just a few being shared against his will. He reported this behavior to multiple months after returning to work, stopped pumping entirely because other managers; eventually the ongoing abusive and hostile she could not deal with the incessant degrading remarks. Even after behavior forced him to quit. she stopped pumping, the harassment continued and drove Jessica to stop working there altogether. THE POSTAL WORKER “Leticia,” a Black woman in Texarkana, Texas, was harassed THE SUPERMARKET EMPLOYEE based on both sex and disability by various supervisors at the “Alicia,” a white supermarket clerk/cashier in Seattle, was subjected postal facility where she worked. She was pressured to resign to a year and a half of unwanted sexual advances by a third- after reporting the abuse. She later learned that one person who party vendor at the store. These advances escalated over time sexually harassed her was a serial offender who had been reported to unwanted physical touching. When she reported the sexual to agency management numerous times but was only required harassment, her supervisor was dismissive of her complaint and to apologize to the nine women who had previously complained, blamed her for the harassment. The supervisor also failed to take rather than being subjected to any effective deterrent, including any action to investigate, remediate, correct, or prevent further discipline or removal from supervision.