Cape County Commission encouraging sexual harassment awareness training

Cape Girardeau County commissioners agreed Thursday to ask elected officials to require sexual harassment awareness training for their respective employees.

Though the commissioners did not vote on the matter, they discussed at length whether they could compel attendance for two sexual harassment prevention classes scheduled in September.

First District Commissioner Larry Bock said he'd asked Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle for an opinion, and Swingle said the commissioners could require employees to attend.

But County Clerk Kara Clark told the board she'd talked to other first-class counties and learned that elected officials oversee their respective offices.

Though Bock had to leave the meeting to attend a funeral, he said on his way out he would agree with the decision made by Jones and 2nd District Commissioner Jay Purcell.

Jones and Purcell agreed in principle the commission must demonstrate a commitment to providing a safe, comfortable environment for workers. Ultimately, they took a suggestion from Treasurer Roger Hudson to ask elected officials to mandate training within their respective offices.

The commissioners also agreed new employee orientations will include sexual harassment awareness as well as safety training.

For more on this story, revisit semissourian.com or read Friday's paper.

pmcnichol@semissourian.com

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