Hollywood Commission Introduces MyConnext Online Platform for Reporting Abuse

The Hollywood Commission has unveiled a new online reporting system called MyConnext, designed to address workplace abuse in the entertainment industry. This tool was developed in response to two surveys conducted by the Commission, where nearly all of the 10,000 industry workers who responded expressed a need for a technological tool to create a timestamped record for reporting misconduct.

MyConnext allows workers to create a personal, timestamped record of their workplace experiences, ask questions about policies anonymously and securely, and make reports of misconduct. One unique feature of the tool is the “hold for match” function, which provides safety in numbers and flags serial offenders. When a user submits a report, it is saved in the system until a second user reports the same person, at which point both accounts are sent to their designated organization.

At launch, several organizations have agreed to use MyConnext, including the DGA, the WGA West, The Kennedy/Marshall Company, U.S.-based Netflix productions, and some U.S.-based Amazon productions. SAG-AFTRA’s Safe Place reporting tool can also be accessed through MyConnext. The Hollywood Commission expects that IATSE will join the platform later this year.

MyConnext will operate as a nonprofit separate from the Hollywood Commission, with its own management committee consisting of industry professionals and experts in workplace culture and psychology. The tool is not meant to replace reporting processes provided by employers and guilds, nor can it conduct third-party investigations. However, MyConnext ombuds Lillian Rivera will be available to help users navigate the site and explore their options in response to workplace abuse.

While the reporting tool and ombuds resource are currently only available to workers from participating organizations, MyConnext provides reference materials on reporting, arbitration, NDAs, workers’ rights, and helplines that are accessible to anyone.

Anita Hill, chair and president of the Hollywood Commission, emphasized the importance of empowering workers to come forward with their concerns about workplace misconduct. She stated, “Workers must believe they will be heard and safe to raise concerns about inappropriate workplace conduct. MyConnext is the online tool they have been asking for.”

One anonymous contributor who participated in user testing praised MyConnext for providing support to workers navigating challenging situations of harassment. They described the platform as an empowering resource that helps workers keep their voices strong and be heard in situations where silencing tactics are often used by abusers.

Overall, MyConnext represents a significant step forward in addressing workplace abuse in the entertainment industry and providing workers with the tools they need to report misconduct and seek support.