I’m pleased to report that here in Massachusetts, the anti-bullying Healthy Workplace Bill (HWB) has been reported favorably by the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development of the state legislature. Having passed this important hurdle, the bill is now before the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. The HWB continues to be a key legislative priority for its lead sponsor, Sen. Paul Feeney (D-Bristol & Norfolk).

The HWB permits targets of severe workplace bullying to seek damages in court and creates liability-reducing incentives for employers to act preventively and responsively towards bullying behaviors at work.

The sausage grinder known as the legislative committee process has resulted in some cosmetic changes to the original bill. First, the bill has been renumbered. It is now Senate No. 2723 (formerly it was Senate No. 1200), and can be accessed here. Secondly, the bill has been streamlined, removing some of the introductory language, while retaining all core components of the original version filed last year, including a new, express provision covering online behavior.

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If you’re a Massachusetts resident and would like to see the HWB enacted into law, please contact your state senator and state representative and ask them to support Senate No. 2723. You may go here for contact information.

Also, please “like” our new Facebook page for the MA Healthy Workplace Bill, which you may access by clicking here.