It’s Time to Declare Your Freedom from Workplace Bullies

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Oct. 20, 2014 - PRLog -- “Freedom Week is a challenge to individuals, lawmakers, employers and unions to break with tradition and stop health-harming abusive conduct in the workplace,” according to Dr. Gary Namie, Director of the Workplace Bullying Institute (WBI).

WBI describes bullying as a systematic campaign of interpersonal destruction that jeopardizes workers’ health, their careers, and their relationships. Bullying is a non-physical, non-homicidal form of violence, most akin to domestic violence. Because it is abusive it causes both emotional and stress-related physical harm. Bullies imprison their victims through domination, intimidation, and humiliation. Witnesses and employers underestimate the severity of the effects of bullying. Victims afraid to lose their jobs, are trapped in oppressive, toxic work environments.

WBI started Freedom Week to encourage bullied targets, witnessing coworkers, and supporters to help afflicted individuals break free. Everyone deserves dignity at work and the freedom to be the person they were before bullying came uninvited. Freedom from Bullies Week is a chance to break through the shame and silence surrounding bullying. It is a week to be daring and bold.

In 2014 over 100 U.S. cities and counties, including many in California, Wisconsin, Kentucky, and Texas, have acknowledged Freedom Week and the seriousness of the problems caused by abusive conduct in American workplaces.

“Depending on how old you are it may be something that was acceptable, and pretty common, years ago. But we can’t tolerate it anymore.” says Andy Ross, County Board member, Columbia County, WI.

In the 2014 legislative session WBI’s Healthy Workplace Bill (HWB) was considered in 15 states, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The bill accomplishes two purposes: (1) genuinely harmed workers may file a lawsuit against their employer regardless of their civil rights status, and (2) employers are granted the incentive of avoiding court if they faithfully prevent and correct abusive conduct.

Preliminary steps toward the comprehensive HWB were taken in 2014 by lawmakers in Tennessee and California. Tennessee now encourages government employers to create anti-bullying policies. California will require supervisory training in workplace abusive conduct.

Several counties and cities drafted ordinances against workplace bullying in the spirit of the proposed state laws. On October 14, Tuscaloosa, Alabama  became the most recent city to adopt an anti-bullying policy.

“It wasn't that many years ago that employers were adopting for the first time sexual harassment policies…I think this is a natural extension to bullying, to essentially catch all of the inappropriate workplace behavior,” says James P. Woodson, Senior Associate City Attorney.

The Workplace Bullying Institute website (workplacebullying.org) has suggestions for Freedom Week activities for all groups - bullied targets, family, friends, coworkers, employers, unions, mental health professionals, medical professionals, school administrators, community leaders, and legislators. No matter the role, anyone can help stop workplace bullying.

WBI is the first and only U.S. organization dedicated to the eradication of workplace bullying that combines help for individuals, research, books, public education, training for professionals-unions-employers, legislative advocacy, and consulting solutions for organizations.