NYC Parks Department executives allegedly forced female employees to strip and pole-dance
RT (Russia Today)
New York City’s Parks Department is under investigation for forcing its part-time workers to strip and pole-dance at an agency holiday party in exchange for more permanent jobs. The workers allegedly teased as many as 10 men at a time.
“If you want a job, get on the pole,” a Parks Department
employee allegedly told a female worker at last year’s Christmas
party, according to an exclusive report by the New York Daily
News.
Dating back to at least 2009, the Parks Department has
thrown “raunchy” holiday parties, complete with stripper poles
and large amounts of alcohol, the newspaper reports. Seasonal
employees were allegedly prompted into taking their clothes off
and dancing in a scandalous manner for employees who promised
them full-time or permanent positions in exchange.
At some Christmas and New Year’s parties, the seasonal employees
allegedly ‘performed’ for as many as 10 men at a time, often in
underwear. Some of the women reportedly received tips for getting
naked or dancing, and in some cases had the money stuffed down
their pants.
“The men started demanding a lot more. They were like, ‘You
want us to give you money, show us something,’” one woman
told the Daily News. “And for the New Year’s party, it got
really grabby. Some women stripped to their panties and bras, and
men were slapping asses. It was out of control.”
The Parks Department hosted its holiday parties on the second
floor of its building, where male workers crafted a stripper’s
pole out of a wire spool and pieces of wood that they found on
the premises. The pole was mounted on a platform, and a
small ladder allowed women to climb up to it. After the seasonal
workers had consumed large quantities of alcohol, the ladder was
often taken away so that the women were forced to climb up to the
platform, according to reports from some of the partygoers.
Reports of sexual harassment are common at the city’s Parks
Department, and city investigators are now reviewing multiple
complaints filed against the agency. One female worker
complained that her male supervisor licked her stomach in an
elevator, while another worker accused her bosses of snapping her
bra straps and sending her inappropriate text messages.
The New York City Deparmtent of Parks and Recreation is a local
government agency responsible for preserving and maintaining the
city’s 1,700 parks and playgrounds and its ecological diversity.
The latest investigation is the second time the city department
is dealing with a largely publicized scandal. In 2001, the
department was investigated for employment discrimination after a
lawsuit was filed that accused the department of engaging in
racist practices. The lawsuit alleged that senior officials chose
only to promote white employees. The judge ruled that
discrimination did in fact occur, and the city was forced to pay
$21 million to minority workers as a settlement to avoid trial.
In 2011, the New York City Parks Department once again came under
investigation after an African-American employee found a black
baby doll handing by its neck from a noose in front of the
loading dock. The 60-year-old worker said the sight of the
hanging doll was traumatizing. The city also received reports of
the letters “KKK” scratched in a bathroom. The employee
responsible for hanging the doll
was eventually arrested and charged with aggravated
harassment as a hate crime.
This article originally appeared on: RT