NEW YORK (NewsNation) — The NFL announced Monday it is taking over the investigation into multiple allegations of sexual harassment and other workplace problems at the Washington Football Team.
The NFL said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell notified the team’s owner Daniel Snyder that the NFL would be taking over the investigation on Monday.
Alleged workplace issues had been reported in July by the Washington Post. The Post reported that 15 female former employees said they were sexually harassed during their time working with the team.
Snyder originally hired Beth Wilkinson of District of Columbia law firm Wilkinson Walsh LLP to review the organization’s culture and allegations.
The NFL released a statement after the initial allegations:
“These matters as reported are serious, disturbing and contrary to the NFL’s values. Everyone in the NFL has the right to work in an environment free from any and all forms of harassment. Washington has engaged outside counsel to conduct a thorough investigation into these allegations. The club has pledged that it will give its full cooperation to the investigator and we expect the club and all employees to do so. We will meet with the attorneys upon the conclusion of their investigation and take any action based on the findings.”
The Post then published a second story last week detailing more allegations of workplace sexual harassment.
The Washington Football Team released a statement on Twitter that said partially “Our first concern is for the safety and security of our teammates, and we have encouraged any employees who have endured similar experiences, now or in the past, to report it immediately. We are already taking a series of additional steps to hold ourselves accountable to our commitments. We remain focused on building an organization where all employees feel valued and are invested in shaping the new direction of our franchise.”
The team’s new president, Jason Wright, also wrote on Twitter that vowed to take “swift and decisive action.”