Labor commissioner: Complaint against Legislature to proceed

SALEM, Ore. (AP) – Oregon’s new labor commissioner says her department will pursue its civil rights complaint against the Oregon Legislature whose leaders were accused of allowing harassment to persist.

The complaint was initiated under Labor Commissioner Val Hoyle’s predecessor. She said Wednesday protocol dictates that her deputy commissioner handle the next steps.

Hoyle, who was sworn in on Monday, said there are two possible resolutions: adjudication before an administrative law judge and conciliation, which means reaching an agreement to settle the matter.

State Sen. Jeff Kruse resigned last year amid accusations he repeatedly inappropriately touched women in the Capitol. House Speaker Tina Kotek and Senate President Peter Courtney denied accusations by former Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian that they failed to take sufficient action.