BILL REQ. #:  H-0999.2 

Read first time 02/11/2005.   Referred to Committee on Commerce & Labor.

     AN ACT Relating to workplace bullying; creating new sections; and making an appropriation.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The purpose of this act is to define workplace bullying, encourage employers to voluntarily enact policies to eliminate workplace bullying, and conduct further study of the impacts on society related to workplace bullying.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   Nothing in this act creates a legal right or cause of action. Nothing in this act denies or alters any existing legal right or cause of action.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   (1) For the purposes of this act, workplace bullying is conduct that: (a) A reasonable person would find hostile or offensive and unrelated to an employer's legitimate business interests; and (b) causes physical or psychological harm to the employee.
     (2) Workplace bullying includes but is not limited to:
     (a) Repeated infliction of verbal abuse such as the use of derogatory remarks, insults, and epithets;
     (b) Verbal or physical conduct that a reasonable person would find threatening, intimidating, or humiliating;
     (c) The gratuitous sabotage or undermining of an employee's work performance; and
     (d) A single act of workplace bullying that is especially severe and egregious.
     (3) The legislature encourages employers to develop and implement: (a) Educational programs designed to address workplace bullying; and (b) codes of conduct and internal enforcement processes that specifically address workplace bullying.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   The sum of . . . . . . dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the general fund to the . . . . . . for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2006, to carry out the purposes of this act by conducting a study of workplace bullying, including but not limited to the incidence, frequency, scope, and effect of abusive work environments. The . . . . . . shall present the results of the study to the legislature by December 1, 2005.