Legislation Status & News

Washington was the 4th state to introduce the Healthy Workplace Bill

• We have remarkable news -- two bill hearings in a single session. Rep. Mike Sells, chair of the House Labor committee has scheduled a public hearing for the companion (identical to SB 5789) bill HB 1928 for Wed. Jan. 25 at 1:30 pm (the Jan. 20 hearing was cancelled due to inclement weather) The hearing will be in House Hearing Rm C of the John L. O'Brien Building, State Capitol campus, Olympia. Here's a map of the legislative campus.
• On Tues. Jan. 17 at 1:30 pm, Senate Hearing Room 4, J.A. Cherberg Bldg, the Washington State Senate committee on Labor, Commerce & Consumer Protection held a public hearing on the Healthy Workplace Bill (SB 5789). The video from the hearing appears below in 3 parts.
• Using our E-Z e-mailer above, everyone, please write to the committee Chair Sen. Kohl-Welles and Vice-Chair Sen. Steve Conway below asking for a "do pass" vote on SB 5789. Also write to Sen. Harper, the Senate bill sponsor to thank him.
• We thank the coalition of unions that support the bill. Special thanks to veteran lobbyist Sean O'Sullivan for assembling the Labor team and pushing so hard for HWB enactment. Thank you WA State Labor Council.


HWB supporters testify Jan. 17, 2012

It takes courage to testify at public hearings before state legislative committees. See it manifested here.



Bullied targets: Martha (speaking on behalf of over 100 state workers), Thomas, Elaina, "I'm Done!" Richard, Christine, Linda, Mario & Deb
Gary from the Workplace Bullying Institute
Union supporters: Seamus from the Washington Public Employees Association, Sean from the Western Pulp & Paper Workers, Rebecca from the WA State Labor Council, & Melissa from the Washington State Nurses Association.
Thank you all.

Opponents of the Healthy Workplace Bill (WA state, Jan. 17, 2012)



Tim O'Connell from the Association of Washington Business (state Chamber of Commerce), Gary Smith from the Independent Business Association, & Marie Clarke from the Attorney General's office

Listen for the deliberate factual errors committed by corporate employment attorney (and union buster according to his online accomplishments) McConnell about the tort of intentional infliction of emotional distress. Smith and Clark simply distort the bill and ignore the fact that misconduct without severe health impact will not be actionable. Clark makes the remarkable assumption that State agencies will be abusive and not be able to prevent being abusive, and therefore, will be held liable. Hmmm. So much for faith in senior administrators of state agencies. These three testifiers all shared a dismissive and arrogant disregard for the plight of traumatized workers subjected to abusive work environments, preferring to argue that current legal "protections" are adequate.

Senator Conway and Senator Kline counter, correctly, that current remedies are inadequate.

Intro to HWB Committee Hearing for SB 5789, the Healthy Workplace Bill by committee staff and bill sponsor, Sen. Nick Harper






• On Feb. 11, 2011 Senate bill SB 5789 was introduced. The prime sponsor of the Senate bill is Sen. Nick Harper. Read the text of the bill. It has been referred to the Labor, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee.
• On Feb. 9, 2011 House bill HB 1928 was introduced. The prime sponsor of the House bill is Rep. Marko Liias. Read the text of the bill. It has been referred to the House Labor & Workforce Development Committee.
• This version of the Healthy Workplace Bill is different from versions in years past. It expands the right of any employer in WA state to file a complaint about an "abusive work environment" with the Human Rights Commission.

Legislators to contact

The 18 House Sponsors of HB 1928

Name	District	Phone	E-mail	Website
Rep. Marko Liias (Prime Sponsor)	D-21	(360) 786-7972	marko.liias@leg.wa.gov	Here
Rep. Mike Sells	D-38	(360) 786-7840	mike.sells@leg.wa.gov	Here
Rep. Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney	D-46	(360) 786-7818	phyllis.kenney@leg.wa.gov	Here
Rep. Luis Moscoso	D-1	(360) 786-7900	luis.moscoso@leg.wa.gov	Here
Rep. Timm Ormsby	D-3	(360) 786-7946	timm.ormsby@leg.wa.gov	Here
Rep. Kevin Van De Wege	D-38	(360) 786-7916	kevin.vandewege@leg.wa.gov	Here
Rep. John McCoy	D-38	(360) 786-7864	john.mccoy@leg.wa.gov	Here
Rep. Dean Takko	D-19	(360) 786-7806	dean.takko@leg.wa.gov	Here
Rep. Eileen Cody	D-34	(360) 786-7978	eileen.cody@leg.wa.gov	Here
Rep. Tami Green	D-28	(360) 786-7958	tami.green@leg.wa.gov	Here
Rep. Brian Blake	D-19	(360) 786-7870	brian.blake@leg.wa.gov	Here
Rep. Mary Helen Roberts	D-21	(360) 786-7950	maryhelen.roberts@leg.wa.gov	Here
Rep. Christine Rolfes	D-23	(360) 786-7842	christine.rolfes@leg.wa.gov	Here
Rep. Sam Hunt	D-22	(360) 786-7992	sam.hunt@leg.wa.gov	Here
Rep. Jim Moeller	D-49	(360) 786-7872	jim.moeller@leg.wa.gov	Here
Rep. Jeannie Darneille	D-27	(360) 786-7974	j.darneille@leg.wa.gov	Here
Rep. Bob Hasegawa	D-11	(360) 786-7862	bob.hasegawa@leg.wa.gov	Here
Rep. Derek Stanford	D-1	(360) 786-7928	derek.stanford@leg.wa.gov	Here

Committee Chairs, House Labor & Workforce Development

Name	District	Phone	E-mail	Website
Rep. Mike Sells, Chair	D-38	(360) 786-7840	mike.sells@leg.wa.gov	Here
Rep. Chris Reykdal, Vice-Chair	D-22	(360) 786-7940	chris.reykdal@leg.wa.gov	Here

Additional Members, House Labor & Workforce Development

Name	District	Phone	E-mail	Website
Rep. Cary Condotta	R-12	(360) 786-7954	cary.condotta@leg.wa.gov	Here
Rep. Matt Shea	R-4	(360) 786-7984	matt.shea@leg.wa.gov	Here
Rep. Susan Fagan	R-9	(360) 786-7942	susan.fagan@leg.wa.gov	Here
Rep. Tami Green	D-28	(360) 786-7958	tami.green@leg.wa.gov	Here
Rep. Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney	D-46	(360) 786-7818	phyllis.kenney@leg.wa.gov	Here
Rep. Mark Miloscia	D-30	(360) 786-7898	mark.miloscia@leg.wa.gov	Here
Rep. Jim Moeller	D-49	(360) 786-7872	jim.moeller@leg.wa.gov	Here
Rep. Timm Ormsby	D-3	(360) 786-7946	timm.ormsby@leg.wa.gov	Here
Rep. Mary Helen Roberts	D-21	(360) 786-7950	maryhelen.roberts@leg.wa.gov	Here
Rep. David Taylor	R-15	(360) 786-7874	david.taylor@leg.wa.gov	Here
Rep. Judy Warnick	R-13	(360) 786-7932	judy.warnick@leg.wa.gov	Here

The 11 Senate Sponsors of SB 5789

Name	District	Phone	E-mail	Website
Sen. Nick Harper	D-38	(360) 786-7674	nick.harper@leg.wa.gov	Here
Sen. Ed Murray	D-43	(360) 786-7628	edward.murray@leg.wa.gov	Here
Sen. Paull Shin	D-21	(360) 786-7640	paull.shin@leg.wa.gov	Here
Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe	D-1	(360) 786-7600	rosemary.mcauliffe@leg.wa.gov	Here
Sen. Brian Hatfield	D-19	(360) 786-7636	brian.hatfield@leg.wa.gov	Here
Sen. Craig Pridemore	D-49	(360) 786-7696	craig.pridemore@leg.wa.gov	Here
Sen. Sharon Nelson	D-34	(360) 786-7667	sharon.nelson@leg.wa.gov	Here
Sen. Kevin Ranker	D-40	(360) 786-7678	kevin.ranker@leg.wa.gov	Here
Sen. Steve Conway	D-29	(360) 786-7656	steve.conway@leg.wa.gov	Here
Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles	D-36	(360) 786-7670	jeanne.kohl-welles@leg.wa.gov	Here
Sen. Adam Kline	D-37	(360) 786-7688	adam.kline@leg.wa.gov	Here

Senate Committee on Labor, Commerce & Consumer Protection

Name	District	Phone	E-mail	Website
Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, Chair	D-36	(360) 786-7670	jeanne.kohl-welles@leg.wa.gov	Here
Sen. Steve Conway, Vice-Chair	D-29	(360) 786-7656	steve.conway@leg.wa.gov	Here
Senator Janéa Holmquist Newbry	R-13	(360) 786-7624	janea.holmquistnewbry@leg.wa.gov	Here
Senator Curtis King	R-14	(360) 786-7626	curtis.king@leg.wa.gov	Here
Senator Mike Hewitt	R-16	(360) 786-7630	mike.hewitt@leg.wa.gov	Here
Senator Karen Keiser	D-33	(360) 786-7664	karen.keiser@leg.wa.gov	Here
Senator Adam Kline	D-37	(360) 786-1999	adam.kline@leg.wa.gov	Here

Endorsements

In 2011-12 HB 1928 and SB 5789 are endorsed by these organizations

• Washington State Labor Council AFL-CIO
• Washington State Nurses Association
• Washington Federation of State Employees
• Washington Public Employees Association
• Workplace Bullying Institute
• Association of Western Pulp & Paper Workers
• United Staff Nurses Union/UFCW Local 141
• Sheet Metal Workers, Local 66
• Pacific Northwest Region Council of Carpenters

In 2008, HB 2142 and SB 6622 were endorsed by these organizations

• Washington Public Employees Association
• Washington State Labor Council AFL-CIO

Bill History

Multimedia

Video

WA State House Commerce & Labor Committee Hearing, Bill HB 2142, Feb. 1, 2008

WA State House Commerce & Labor Committee, December, 2004

Audio

The 2nd Workplace Bullying Work Session WA State House Commerce & Labor Committee Nov. 30, 2007

Listen to the Business Lobbyists' objections to the anti-bullying legislation, approx. 12 min.

Business Lobbyists

Listen to all presenters, the full session on Workplace Bullying, approx. 40 min.

Presenters

Photos

Charlie Withers, famed Michigan USPS letter carrier with Dr. Gary Namie prior to 2008 hearing

The Ruth and Gary Namie and Charlie Withers testifying, 2008

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