HHS Announces Voluntary Resolution Agreement With University Of Southern California Medical School to Settle Sex Discrimination Complaints

Author HeadshotBy George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

On June 15, 2022, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office for Civil Rights (OCR), and the University of Southern California (USC), along with its medical enterprise, Keck Medicine of USC (KMUSC), entered into a voluntary resolution agreement or settlement. In a statement released to the public, HHS said the agreement would resolve a compliance review of KMUSC Entities’ policies and procedures for responding to sex discrimination complaints made by students, employees, or patients employed by, or participating in, any programs or activities receiving Federal financial assistance from HHS.

Read the press release in full here for more information.  HHS OCR initiated the compliance review on June 10, 2019, to assess KMUSC’s compliance with Title IX in its handling of sexual harassment […]

New Campus Sexual Assault Rules Strengthen Rights of the Accused Student in School Hearings

George Indest HeadshotBy George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law
On May 6, 2020, the U.S. Education Department finalized a new policy that will reshape the way schools and universities respond to sexual misconduct complaints. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos issued rules to strengthen the rights of accused students, reduce legal liabilities, and narrow the scope of cases colleges are required to investigate. These investigations and hearing are often called “Title IX investigations and hearings.”

The agency started the overhaul in 2018 after revoking rules from the Obama administration that it says adopted a “failed system” that pressured schools to deny the rights of alleged perpetrators.

A New Sexual-Assault Policy on Campuses.

The policy changes narrow the definition of sexual harassment and require schools and universities to investigate claims only if they’re reported to certain officials. Colleges […]

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