LOS ANGELES (AP) — The entertainment industry union SAG-AFTRA has issued a code of conduct in an effort to protect its members from sexual harassment in the workplace.
The code published Saturday says that employers are obligated to provide a harassment-free workplace and must have mechanisms for reporting it without fear of retaliation.
SAG-AFTRA also says members acting as producers or supervisors are also subject to the same laws and rules as employers. It also encourages members to act as active bystanders and stop any misconduct witnessed, support those who speak up and report violations.
The union has given a number of resources and information in its code of conduct including its 24-hour hotline for members witnessing sexual harassment.
“To truly change the culture we must be courageous and willing,” said SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris in a statement. “At its most basic, this Code will ultimately help better define what harassment is, and what members’ rights are in real world situations.”
SAG-AFTRA represents some 160,000 entertainment industry professions, from actors to broadcast journalists.