The Washington Football Team, the NFL franchise in the nation’s capital, only recently went through media and public scrutiny about the team’s name. A new pot of scandal boiled over in recent days regarding persistent and pervasive sexual harassment orchestrated by the team’s owner, Dan Snyder.
The Washington Post broke news of the apparent widespread sexual harassment at the franchise. 25 women reported that they experienced sexual harassment while working for the Washington Football Team. One of the shocking allegations is that Snyder, the team owner, was involved in having a former team executive create a sexually explicit video for Snyder. The video evidently featured outtakes of partially nude cheerleaders from the team’s 2008 swimsuit calendar.
In addition to detailing the plight of 25 women who reported experiencing sexual harassment white working for the Washington Football Team, interviews were conducted with 100 current and former franchise employees as well as a review of internal records.
These recent allegations came on the heels of another Washington Post report in which 15 women who previously worked for the Washington Team reported being sexually harassed and verbally abused by executives of the team. Unlike the most recent scandal, this one did not specifically implicate the team’s owner, Dan Snyder.
In the aftermath of the most recent reporting from the Washington Post, Snyder issued a statement, including about his own alleged sexual misconduct. The lengthy press release from Snyder stated in part:
“The behavior described in the Washington Post's latest story has no place in our franchise, or in our society. While I was unaware of these allegations until they surfaced in the media, I take full responsibility for the culture of our organization. Even before today's article, I have begun taking any and all steps necessary to ensure that the Washington Football Team is an organization that is diverse, inclusive and respectful of all. I have admittedly been too hands-off as an owner and allowed others to have day-to-day control to the detriment of our organization. Going forward I am going to be more involved, and we have already made major changes in personnel bringing in new leadership to drive cultural transformation on and off the field. In addition, we are assembling a world class team of external advisors to both investigate these allegations and create an actionable and measurable plan to change our culture.”
After making this initial statement, in which he denied involvement in the sexual harassment of female employees, Snyder went on to call the Washington Post reporting “a hit job.” This is far from the first time that Snyder has been in the tights of the media and others in regard to accusations regarding sexual harassment within his football franchise, including allegations that directly involved him.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has responded to the matter of widespread workplace misconduct and sexual harassment allegations at the Washington Football Team franchise. The Commissioner vows that the league will launch an appropriate investigation and take suitable action in response to these widespread allegations of sexual harassment and abuse within the franchise.
The situation involving sexual harassment and abuse at the Washington Football Team is hardly unique. Business of all types across the United States are sites of sexual harassment and other types of employee abuse.
If you’ve been the victim of workplace sexual harassment or abuse, the legal team at The Doan Law Office stands ready to explain your important rights and interests. You can schedule an initial consultation with a workplace sexual harassment lawyer any time of the day or night by calling (800) 349-0000. Our workplace sexual harassment lawyer hotline is staffed 365 days a year, including on all major holidays.
A nationwide law firm, with 40 offices across the country, we can schedule an appointment at an office convenient for you. In addition, we can arrange a virtual initial consultation and case evaluation with a workplace sexual harassment attorney online as well. There is no charge for an initial consultation and case evaluation.
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