Vermont Senate Makes Smart Move Toward Workplace Bullying Legislation

by Jul 15, 2012

Here is an interesting read on a move towards workplace bullying legislation.

“For years advocates have been trying to pass workplace bullying legislation in Vermont. Last year, SB.52 started as yet another attempt to re-introduce the Healthy Workplace Bill (aka Abusive Work Environment Act). But, this time something happened. Instead of dying in committee, the language was completely struck and totally rewritten to ensure that lawmakers look into all possible approaches before adopting legislation that will impact both employers and employees throughout the state. (After all, isn’t that what our elected officials are supposed to do?) The Senate wants a task force created to determine the best way to provide relief and redress for state residents suffering in abusive work environments. The new version of SB.52 became very active and passed the Senate. If it makes it out of the general committee and is passed through to the Governor’s desk, the task force’s findings could create a landmark moment for those of us who would like to see bullying legislation become a reality.”

Do you know how much money chronically bad behavior costs your company? Spoiler alert – it’s a LOT higher than you want it to be. Download our data and worksheet to see how it’s costing your organization and what you can do to fix it.

 

Catherine

About Catherine Mattice

Catherine Mattice, MA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, is the founder/CEO of Civility Partners, an organizational development firm focused on helping organizations create respectful workplace cultures and specializing in turning around toxic cultures. Civility Partners’ clients range from Fortune 500s to small businesses across many industries. Catherine is a TEDx speaker and an HR thought leader who has appeared in such venues as USA Today, Bloomberg, CNN, NPR, and many other national news outlets as an expert. She’s an award-winning speaker, author, and blogger and has 60+ courses reaching global audiences on LinkedIn Learning.  Her fourth book, Navigating Toxic Work Environments For Dummies (Wiley), is available in all major bookstores and where audiobooks are sold.

Navigating a Toxic Workplace: Practical Strategies for Leaders, HR, and Employees

When toxic behavior - such as gossip, harsh sarcasm, incivility, rudeness, public shaming, serial interrupting, microaggressions, and unresolved conflict - is brushed off as personality differences or “not that bad” it normalizes the behavior. As leaders look the...

Start the Year on a Good Note (Literally): Your Workplace Playlist

Research consistently shows that music affects how our brains process emotion, connection, and stress. According to the American Psychological Association, music can reduce cortisol levels, helping lower stress and anxiety while improving emotional regulation. In...

Celebrating Your 2025 Wins!

Have you stopped to pause and appreciate everything you’ve accomplished this year? Were you able to make some strides on improving your culture? Did you finally get that one initiative approved that you’ve been working on for a while? Or maybe you finally finished out...

HR in 2025: A Year in Review

As 2025 comes to a close, it’s hard not to look back and notice just how much the world of HR has been in motion.  This year revealed an incredible amount of resilience, creativity, and heart across the profession. Many of you worked quietly behind the scenes,...

’Tis the Season for Boundaries: Protecting Your Time and Well-Being This Holiday Season

The holiday season is a time to rest, connect, and reflect. But for many employees, it can also feel overwhelming.  Work seems to speed up instead of slow down thanks to the “vacation tax” that comes with time off. Projects pile up, deadlines tighten, and expectations...

A Year of Appreciation: What We’re Grateful For at Civility Partners

As we approach the holiday season, our team at Civility Partners is taking a moment to pause, breathe, and reflect on what we’re most grateful for.  Our mission has always been clear: to partner with our clients to help them create a positive workplace environment....

Civility Partners vs. Korn Ferry & EY: What Sets Us Apart

Recently I was asked the question on a podcast: “What do people get when they work with Civility Partners? My answer: “You’ll get direct, honest and empathetic information. We care very much about our mission to create work environments across the globe where people...

Speak Like a CEO, Lead Like HR: Power Language That Drives Culture Change

Last week, we gave you tips on how to make a business case for culture change. Did you try it yet? How did it go? As we were brainstorming for this week's newsletter, we realized that part two is in order, and it’s all about how you present the amazing business case...

6 Steps to Build a Business Case for Culture Change

If you’re reading this, you’re probably standing in the middle of an impossible tug-of-war. Leadership wants data. Employees want meaning. And somehow, you’re supposed to turn feelings, trust, and respect into metrics that fit on a slide deck. But here’s the truth:...

Even Small Teams Can’t Afford to Ignore Culture

Whenever we talk about culture, we often hear, “We’re too small to need culture work,” or “We’re a small company; we’ve got it covered.” But here’s the reality: you’re too small not to focus on culture. When you only have 20 or 50 people, for example, every...