NY State Receives Anti-Bullying Bill from Advocates

The New York Healthy Workplace Advocates (nyhwa.org) is leading the effort in New York State to pass the Healthy Workplace Bill (HWB).

 

The HWB addresses bullying in the workplace, defined as repeated verbal abuse, psychological abuse, work interference and /or work sabotage that prevents work from getting done or some combination of the three.

 

The bill numbers for the HWB in New York State during the 2013-2014 legislative session were S3863 (in the NYS Senate) and A4965 (in the NYS Assembly).

 

New bill numbers for the 2015-2016 legislative session are expected to be assigned by mid-February 2015.  NYHWA will hold Lobby Days to advocate for the HWB after the new bill numbers are assigned.

 

By the end of the 2013-2014 legislative session 86 Assembly members and 20 Senators were sponsors of the bill.  Enough votes were in place to pass the bill in both the NYS Assembly and NYS Senate but the bill never reached the floor for a vote in either house.

 

Gregg Morris, a citizen advocate for the New York State Healthy Workplace Bill, has delivered the petition in person to Sheldon Silver, Speaker of the Assembly, on January 7.

The petition found here – http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/make-nys-healthy-workplace?source=c.em.cp&r_by=7603820 –as of press time lacks 19 signatures more to reach the required no. of  300 petitioners. The MoveOn.org has requested more signees before they will expand the petition to other parts of the northeast and directly to members in New York State.

 

A petitioner on Moveon.org said: “Bullying in the workplace cannot continue! No one should suffer fear of losing their jobs, or suffer from anxiety that affects their health and happiness! Sign the petition and help end this practice!”