Memo: NBA to launch confidential hotline to report workplace concerns
After the Dallas Mavericks launched an internal investigation into alleged sexual harassment, commissioner Adam Silver sent a memo to all 30 NBA teams and officials reinforcing the league’s standards.
The NBA will launch a confidential hotline available to all league and team employees to report any concerns in the workplace, including sexual harassment, Silver wrote in the memo.
Yahoo Sports obtained Silver’s memo, titled “Respect in the Workplace,” which read:
“We are taking this opportunity to reiterate the NBA’s commitment to providing employees with a safe and inclusive work environment. Respect and integrity are core NBA values, and we all must work to ensure that they are reflected in the culture and workplaces of our organizations. Among other initiatives, both the league office and the teams should be aware of the following:
“Next week, the NBA will launch a confidential hotline available to all league and team employees to report any concerns arising in the workplace, including but not limited to sexual harassment, illegality, or other misconduct. Specific information relating to the hotline and a form of announcement that we will ask teams to send to all employees will be provided to you shortly.
“Earlier this month, we sent to teams an updated model Respect in the Workplace Policy for review and potential adoption. By March 6th, we are asking teams to complete that review, assess any other team policies related to respect in the workplace, ensure they reflect best practices, and send copies of all such updated policies to the league office.
“In December, we informed league office employees about (and sent to the teams) our plans to conduct a series of mandatory, small-group discussions facilitated by outside experts to ensure that we all have a full understanding of issues related to sexual harassment and expectations for how we should behave in the workplace. We strongly encourage you to review that information and implement this program within your organizations.
“We will be holding a series of conference calls early next week with your Human Resource groups to explain the foregoing in greater detail, answer any questions, and collect thoughts for other programs and initiatives.”
The Mavericks began an investigation after a Sports Illustrated story delved into a culture of sexual harassment, which centered on former team CEO Terdema Ussery and team writer Earl K. Sneed. The NBA later announced that the allegations of workplace misconduct were “unacceptable,” and that the league would closely monitor the investigation.
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