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BEST PRACTICES: Limiting liability
New training focuses on sexual misconduct laws

Employee sexual misconduct damages the educational environment, triggers unwanted media attention and results in expensive, time-consuming litigation. PACE attorneys want to help schools hire the right people and respond appropriately if allegations of misconduct surface. At the request of the district, PACE attorneys will come to your site to train district-level staff on the new state laws and provide new sample policies and forms.

In 2009, the Oregon Legislature passed House Bill 2062 requiring school districts, public charter schools and education service districts to train employees in preventing, identifying and reporting sexual misconduct. Among other things, this law requires boards to adopt policies and procedures for reporting employee sexual misconduct. It requires employers to seek specific information from applicants, describes how employers must respond when there is reasonable cause to believe sexual misconduct has occurred and permits disclosure of certain records if misconduct is substantiated.

At your request, PACE attorneys will come to your site to train district-level staff on these new state laws. Contact Lisa Freiley, OSBA Legal, Labor & Employment Services Associate Executive Director, 503-588-2800.