Support a Healthy Workplace Bill in Connecticut
Since 2003, variations of the bill have been introduced in some 12 state legislatures. Canada, Australia, and many European nations on enacting workplace bullying laws. In the meantime, in America, hardworking employees who have been psychologically pummeled at work are told by lawyers that they have no legal recourse. When cruelty and psychological violence are perfectly legal in the workplace, our society is harmed. Businesses and workers suffer.
We, the undersigned, support the introduction of legislation in the State of Connecticut in 2009, for a Healthy Workplace Bill. In the past Connecticut has introduced such legislation as SB 60 An Act to Prevent Bullying in the Workplace (2008) and SB 371 in 2007. We seek a bill that allows for a private right of action by targeted employees against employers and the individuals who engage in bullying in the workplace. We seek a bill that has a high threshold in which plaintiffs must prove that the bullying at work harmed their physical and/or mental health and was intentional on the part of the workplace bully and/or the employer. We ask that there be an affirmative defense to protect employers who in good faith take action to prevent bullying. If the bullying results in the death of the employee, the employee's family should have a right to pursue a wrongful death action. This legislation is necessary to create a healthy work environment that will make Connecticut businesses thrive. An unhealthy workplace is not a productive one and the costs to society are high.
