Senator Vincent J. Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) thanked the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC) and its Executive Director Chad Lassiter for approving an investigatory hearing on a recent incident of alleged discrimination at Grandview Golf Course in York County.
In April, Senator Hughes called for an investigation and offered his support to the group of five African American women who reported they had been discriminated against based on race or gender: Thompson, Myneca Ojo, Sandra Harrison, Carolyn Dow and Karen Crosby. The women have said they were playing golf on April 21 at Grandview Golf Club in Dover Township when club ownership and staff told them they were not playing fast enough.
I commend the Commission’s actions convening the hearings,” Senator Hughes said. “Pennsylvanians do not tolerate the behavior we saw at Grandview and we must thoroughly investigate any instance of discrimination.”
Hughes and a group of state senators have also asked Governor Tom Wolf to fund the PHRC to its highest levels since 2007-2008. Senators Jay Costa (D-Allegheny), Anthony Williams (D-Delaware/Philadelphia), Larry Farnese (D-Philadelphia), Wayne Fontana (D-Allegheny), John Blake (D-Lackawanna/Luzerne/Monroe), Judy Schwank (D-Berks), Daylin Leach (Delaware/Montgomery), Sharif Street (D-Philadelphia), Art Haywood (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery), Christine Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia), James Brewster (D-Allegheny/Westmoreland), and Andrew Dinniman (D-Chester) endorsed the letter, which called for $1 million in additional funding to the Commission.
The funding increase would allow the Commission to increase its staff and help it to promptly investigate the complaints received. Senate Democrats recently asked for funding to combat workplace sexual harassment and discrimination as a part of the Commission’s 2018-2019 budget.
The full letter can be read here: PHRC Final 050318[503]