New Orleans says sexual harassment is fine — as long as the work gets done
In New Orleans city government, sexually harassing your coworkers apparently isn’t a fireable offense — unless it slows down productivity.
That’s the takeaway from a stunning decision by the New Orleans Civil Service Commission, which ordered the reinstatement of former Clerk of Council Lora Johnson. Johnson was fired last year after the City Council concluded she had subjected employees to a pattern of sexual harassment stretching over more than a decade.
And it wasn’t a vague accusation — the council had evidence, and the commission even agreed, stating flat-out:
“The commission finds that the City Council has carried its burden of showing that Ms. Johnson engaged in instances of inappropriate behavior over an 11-year period.”
But despite that, Johnson is getting her job back — plus nearly a year’s worth of back pay — because, according to the commission, her conduct didn’t disrupt the office’s efficiency.
In their words:
“The City Council has failed to carry its burden showing that the complained-of conduct impaired the efficient operation of the Clerk of Council’s office.”
In other words, you can harass employees for 11 years, as long as they keep working.
Even more disturbingly, the commission’s report named the employees who came forward, a move known to inflict additional trauma on survivors and often used as a scare tactic to discourage others from speaking out — something widely condemned in HR and trauma-informed fields.
City Council President JP Morrell immediately condemned the decision, saying the council plans to challenge it in every way possible.
“This decision will have a chilling effect on every victim who is considering whether to report workplace abuse,” Morrell said. “The City of New Orleans cannot claim to care about sexual assault survivors while continuing to gloss over serious allegations in the name of efficiency.”
The city has long claimed it’s made strides in protecting employees from misconduct. In 2018, Vice President Helena Moreno helped implement New Orleans’ first anti-sexual harassment policy, which was hailed at the time as a major step toward workplace safety and accountability. But Moreno, too, is now speaking out forcefully.
“I am extremely alarmed by the decision rendered by the Civil Service Commission and the direct impact it will have upon the execution of duties by the Clerk’s Office, its dedicated employees, and any City employee contemplating a report of sexual harassment in the future,” she said.
The ruling follows closely on the heels of another troubling case inside city government. Nate Fields, the Director of Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s Office of Homeless Services and Strategy, was also accused of sexual assault and harassment. And though the Cantrell administration reportedly confirmed Fields assaulted a subordinate, he remains employed by the city — drawing criticism from both local leaders and advocates.
All this casts serious doubt on the city’s commitment to creating a safe workplace. For a place that brands itself as a progressive city that cares for its people, New Orleans now finds itself defending the indefensible: a system where abuse is tolerated, as long as the paperwork gets filed on time.
