Workplace Bullying Bill Gets House Committee Hearing Wednesday

Jan. 30, 2012 - PRLog -- A public hearing for the Healthy and Safe Workplace Act will take place Wednesday, February 1 at 1:00 p.m. in the House Finance Committee Room, Third Floor (Room 460M), called by the Energy, Industry & Labor/ Economic Development & Small Business Committee, Del. Larry Baker, Chair.

HB 3015's prime sponsor is Del. Linda Longstreth, who first introduced the bill in 2011. Co-sponsors include Delegates Mike Caputo, Harry Keith White, K. Steven Kominar and Helen Martin.

The purpose of the bill is to close the gap in discrimination laws and give relief to victims of same-sex, same-race abusive conduct at work. HB 3015 is employer friendly, too, as it excuses employer liability if that employer takes proactive steps to create an anti-bullying policy and enforce it in the genuine attempt to stop bullying.

The Healthy Workplace Bill (HWB) is active in 10 other states at this time. Due to resistance from the business lobby, it has not yet been passed into law in any state. Employers mistakenly believe it removes individual prerogative from their managers. The bill only seeks to restrict abusive conduct.

To WV State Coordinator Lana Cooke of Morgantown, who directs the state campaign to enact the law, it is a matter of employee health. "Abuse at work costs both employers and affected employees," says Cooke, recent WVU retiree, "but damaged employee health gets ignored by senior executives. They foolishly think bullying is part of normal management."

Dr. Gary Namie, founder of the Workplace Bullying Institute, the sole U.S. research & education organization dedicated to the eradication of the phenomenon, remarks that "abusive conduct, as defined in the HWB, is preventable, completely in the employer's control, and serves no legitimate business interest."

Both Cooke and Namie will be at the State Capitol to testify on behalf of HB 3015 on Wednesday.

Del. Linda Longstreth: 304-340-3124

Lana Cooke, WV Healthy Workplace Campaign Coordinator: 304-692-7579

Gary Namie, PhD, Nat'l Director, HWC (Bellingham, Washington): 360-220-5158

http://healthyworkplacebill.org/

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The Workplace Bullying Institute is the only United States organization dedicated to the eradication of workplace bullying that combines help for individuals, research, public education, consulting for employers, and legislative advocacy.