New Hampshire’s 2013 version of the Healthy Workplace Bill HB 591 has been tabled for this year and a rewrite is in the works. Fingers crossed that legislators have recognized the need to remove “malice” from the text because it creates a virtually impossible hurdle for targets of abuse to overcome in order to actually use this law to protect themselves. We’ve written about this before and below is the SEIU article about New Hampshire.  We applaud SEA for getting this legislation started and hope they use this opportunity to bring in new voices as several other states have begun to do in order to craft a target centric approach that’s also fair to businesses (instead of the other way around). 

Posted to SEIU blog 4/19/13:

Earlier this week, the Senate Executive Departments and Administration Committee voted to re-refer HB 591, the bill that calls for state departments to set policy that addresses workplace bullying.  The committee acknowledged there is a problem that needs to be addressed.  However, they were not convinced about the language in the bill as it currently stands. The committee members want to work on the bill over the summer and present a modified version next year.

This bill was SEA member driven, as we have previously reported.  A workgroup of SEA members including member State Representative Diane Schuett (bill sponsor) convened last year and helped draft and support this legislation.  This workgroup is a prime example of what SEA members can accomplish by working collaboratively on an issue.

“We look forward to working with the NH House and Senate to make this a better bill,” said Marie Morgan, Chapter 44.  “We are glad we were able to get this conversation started.  We know this is an issue in many worksites.  Such harassment takes place peer to peer, as well as supervisor to employee.  This bullying results in stress related illnesses.  It is not acceptable. And we are pleased to have the opportunity to work with legislators to make this bill better next year.”

Related articles

• Top #3 Harmful Definitions of Workplace Bullying (bullyinworkplace.com)
• Maryland Drops Healthy Workplace Bill And Seeks New Approach Against Bullying (bullyinworkplace.com)