In the era of social distancing, will workers have the same protections against harassment and discrimination?
Everyone knows Hollywood has a diversity problem. Which is to say, everyone knows Hollywood has white dudes who have been the only ones calling the shots for way, way too long. Before the coronavirus, this was an issue Anita Hill and the Hollywood Commission she chairs were ready to tackle head-on.
The biggest coronavirus change that is likely here to stay after the pandemic is the prevalence of working from home. This means more online and one-on-one meetings. Hill said that new guidelines surrounding the proper protocol of such meetings are essential to ensure workers are entitled to the same anti-harassment and discrimination protections they were pre-COVID.
But merely reinforcing old rules won’t be enough, Hill argues. After COVID, the workplace is going to look different, and so specific rules to address these differences need to be implemented. Perhaps the biggest concern is that those who do face any sort of discrimination or abuse will not have access to others who can help them.
But Hill isn't only worried about about sexual and general harassment. During the Great Recession of 2008, Hill argued, diversity and inclusion initiatives all but stopped with the economic downfall, a correlation Hill fears we’ll see again with COVID, citing the approximately 350,000 jobs that have been lost in the entertainment industry. She said that this job loss necessitates that employers commit to diverse talent both on and off-screen.
Above all else, everyone deserves to feel and be safe, whether that be in their personal or professional lives. “The coronavirus pandemic best makes clear that everyone’s safety and well-being depends on the safety and well-being of each individual,” Hill said in the op-ed. “The message that we’re all in this together is popular today. Let us not forget it as we chart the course of the new reality ahead.
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