Council moves in right direction

It is indeed prudent that Boston City Council is moving to pass an order outlining a set of workplace harassment protections for themselves and their staff.

As the Herald’s Antonio Planas reported, Councilor Josh Zakim, who co-sponsored the order with Councilor Ayanna Pressley, said the order is necessary in the era of #MeToo.

Perhaps it would have been wise to have passed such an order prior to the #MeToo movement.

According to the order, the lengthy policy applies to council members, staff, volunteers and interns. The order establishes a “zero-tolerance” policy for harassment — including sexual harassment — and discrimination based on several factors including race, gender, national origin and gender identity.

The policy also has provisions for protections against retaliation.

What happened in the case involving then Senate President Stanley Rosenberg and Bryon Hefner must never happen again. We need built-in protections in every level of government to protect those whose who are made vulnerable by their gender or the political power structure.

Workplace harassment is cruel, destructive and a detriment to the mission of the institution itself, as is sharply witnessed in the Rosenberg scandal.

We must do what we can do dissuade potential perpetrators, those who would enable them and those who would give them cover.