Federal report finds ‘pervasive’ harassment at AccuWeather

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal investigation found a “severe and pervasive” culture of entrenched sexual harassment inside a company run by one of President Donald Trump’s nominees to head a prominent federal agency.

The Labor Department report of January 2018 makes a harsh assessment of the internal culture at AccuWeather, which provides commercial weather forecasting services.

The Associated Press has obtained a copy of that report. It concludes that AccuWeather executives ignored multiple sexual harassment claims, and those who complained feared retaliation.

AccuWeather’s chief executive at the time, Barry Myers, has been nominated to head the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and is awaiting a Senate confirmation vote.

A statement from the company denied all allegations, but AccuWeather did agree last year to pay $290,000 as part of a settlement of the findings.