Archive for the ‘Employer Action/Inaction’ Category
Journalism ethics professor trivializes Univ of Virginia story
Wednesday, September 1st, 2010
Ed Wasserman was a reporter and is now a professor of journalism ethics at Washington & Lee University. He opined in his Aug. 29 newspaper column on the media about the Kevin Morrissey suicide story at the University of Virginia that would not have been a story without the “tilt of coverage toward this hot new social malady” (thanks for the back-handed compliment about awareness about workplace bullying).
Tags: Edward Wasserman, Kevin Morrissey, suicide, Ted Genoways, University of Virginia, Virginia Quarterly Review, VQR, Washington & Lee, workplace bullying
Posted in Employer Action/Inaction | 1 Comment »
More on Morrissey, UVa employee suicide
Monday, August 23rd, 2010
Virginia Public Radio reporter Sandy Hausman interviewed Maria Morrissey, sister of suicide victim Kevin Morrissey, Dr. Gary Namie – WBI Director, and Ted Genoways attorney Snook for Aug. 23, 2010 report.
Read this Aug. 23 article: “The Rise and Fall of Ted Genoways” by the editor of ZYZZYVASPEAKS, a journal of West Coast writers & authors
Tags: Gary Namie, Kevin Morrissey, Maria Morrissey, Snook, Ted Genoways, University of Virginia, Virginia Quarterly Review
Posted in Bullying in the News, Employer Action/Inaction, Media | Post a Comment »
Kevin Morrissey suicide update
Friday, August 20th, 2010
The most detailed account of events at the University of Virginia that led up to Kevin Morrissey’s suicide can be found in the Charlottesville newspaper, The Hook:
Tale of Woe: The death of Kevin Morrissey by Dave McNair, August 18, 2010
Take time to read the several comments, including mine.
Tags: Casteen, Kevin Morrissey, Maria Morrissey, suicide, Sullivan, Ted Genoways, University of Virginia, Virginia Quarterly Review, VQR, workplace bullying
Posted in Bullying in the News, Employer Action/Inaction | 1 Comment »
Depression or alleged bully boss prompt suicide?
Thursday, August 19th, 2010
ABC News coverage of the Kevin Morrissey suicide at the University of Virginia asks the question.
Tags: Kevin Morrissey, Ted Genoways, University of Virginia, VQR
Posted in Bullying in the News, Employer Action/Inaction | Post a Comment »
University suicide points to nonreponsive employer
Sunday, August 15th, 2010
Ted Genoways, VQR editor accused of bullying by suicide victim's sister
At universities, people tend to think of teaching and research faculty and staff as the only employees. At the University of Virginia, the president supports a literary journal, the Virginia Quarterly Review, prestigious to poets and fiction writers. Kevin Morrissey, 52, the VQR managing editor had been hired by a young Ted Genoways, 38, new himself to the editor post in 2003.
On July 30, Kevin Morrissey committed suicide after a reported three years of torment by Genoways despite the two having a genuine friendship at the start of their work together.
There was a record of several calls by Morrissey to university institutional helpers (HR, ombuds, EAP, president’s office). Either his call for help was not answered or treated with indifference. Those familiar with Morrissey’s complaints said that the rationalization for Genoways was that creative people like him could be difficult to work with and were often bad managers! In other words, live with him, adjust to him, Genoways is indispensable. Note the abdication of responsibility by this employer for the safe working conditions of its employees.
Tags: Alana Levinson-LaBrosse, bullycide, John Casteen, Kevin Morrissey, suicide, Ted Genoways, University of Virginia, Virginia Quarterly Review, workplace bullying
Posted in Employer Action/Inaction, Social Justice | 15 Comments »
New research shows HR's negative role in workplace bullying
Friday, August 13th, 2010
A study published in May 2010 by Premilla D’Cruz and Ernesto Noronha conducted in Mumbai and Bangalore, India telephone call centers (working for US, UK and Australian companies) reveals the experiences of bullied targets worldwide. Bottom line: HR worsens the situation for targets. Read the summary below, then read the article itself.
Tags: Hard HRM, HRM, IAWBH, Premilla D'Cruz, Qualitative Report, Soft HRM, workplace bullying
Posted in Employer Action/Inaction, Science | 10 Comments »
Workplace Frustration: Different Men — Steven Slater & Omar Thornton — Different Choices
Wednesday, August 11th, 2010
On Aug. 3 Omar Thornton killed with handguns eight employees at Hartford Distributors (see related commentary). One week later. Steven Slater, a veteran flight attendant with 20 years experience working in a narrow aluminum tube of a workplace stuffed to the max with outrageously demanding, instruction-violating, petty passengers finally had had enough.
Tags: Jet Blue, Omar Thornton, Steven Slater
Posted in Employer Action/Inaction, Social Justice | 2 Comments »
HR: Friend or Foe of Workplace Bullying Targets?
Thursday, August 5th, 2010
Another blast at HR, the “profession” from Gary Namie, the director here at WBI. This time evidence supporting the accusations is provided. A rebuttal from a well-intentioned HR practitioner follows. The debate about HR’s role in bullying cases — I say they hurt, she says they help — inspired us to create a new WBI forum to allow real people to catalog their real HR stories. Let’s gather some anecdotal facts. Soon, there will be new national data from the 2010 WBI-Zogby survey about HR. And the Drs. Namie are writing the book for employers who want to stop workplace bullying (set for spring 2011 release). We want to include selected accounts posted at the new website/forum. It’s called HR Failed Me, but positive stories are welcome. Just be truthful. Visit HR Failed Me and share your experience with HR.
While here, take a second to take the Instant Poll on HR’s efficacy.
The arguments in both sides of the debate follow.
Posted in Bullying Tutorials, Employer Action/Inaction, WBI Legislative Campaign | 14 Comments »
AMA Webinar: Busting Workplace Bullies
Thursday, August 5th, 2010
On August 26, 1-2:30 pm (EDT), the American Management Association hosts a webinar for managers: Busting Workplace Bullies: Arresting Abusive Conduct for Profits & Productivity. The presenter is Dr. Gary Namie, President Work Doctor®, Inc. and Director, Workplace Bullying Institute. He will share proven strategies for managers to identify and curb bullying in their organizations based on 25 years of consulting with organizations and 13 years specializing in workplace bullying. Dr. Namie is recognized as North America’s foremost authority on workplace bullying. Interested individuals can register here.
Tags: American Management Association, Gary Namie, strategies for managers, webinar, workplace bullying
Posted in Announcements, Employer Action/Inaction | Post a Comment »
Why to avoid Workers Comp
Wednesday, July 28th, 2010
We have long advised employees injured by health-harming bullying to avoid Workers Compensation claims. Your friends (not) at HR route you to WC or unpaid FMLA. But you have options. Have your physician qualify you for short-term disability. While off work, make decisions guided by your health status and prospects for healing.
A 2008 book, Depraved Indifference: The Workers Compensation System by Patrice Woeppel, is described in an interview with the author by Frank Smecker. If you have any doubts that the system was created by and for employers to stave off lawsuits, read the interview and book. The system pays only 27% on average of the illness and injury costs for workers. Corrupt employer-only physicians never acknowledge injuries caused by employers. Having a separate occupational health insurance system locks out work-related illness and injury from the regular health care insurance system. The book author also posits several recommendations for changing the corrupt WC system.
Posted in Bullying Tutorials, Employer Action/Inaction | 5 Comments »
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Who We Are
WBI is the only United States organization dedicated to the eradication of workplace bullying that combines help for individuals, research, public education, consulting for employers, and legislative advocacy.