I pass along his major teachings to you, the WBI reader, so you know the type of legal opponent, as plaintiff, you will face if you ever decide to sue your employer in court.

He believes:

1. HR has known about, and has dealt successfully with, workplace bullying for over 20 years.

2. The prevalence of harassment and bullying are exaggerated, overestimated.

3. Claims of bullying are made by workers who refuse to be assigned work or told to perform when management knows they are goofing off.

4. Bullying and all employee relations are in the HR domain. Executive leaders are much too busy to be bothered by such mundane topics as workplace violence occurring on their watch.

5. Executives demand that their managers treat workers fairly. Good management is the rule. Bad bosses are the rare exception. It only makes good business sense.

6. Large companies are smart. They purge the “jerkwads” because of the risk they pose. Executives can’t stand them and HR gets rid of them.

7. In France, no employee can be fired. Companies are hiring temps to avoid regular employees.

8. Nine out of 10 complaints of mistreatment by workers are bogus, lies and exaggerations of real events.

9. Claims of abuse or bullying are cover-ups for poor performing workers not able or willing to do their jobs.

10. When this attorney worked in the EEOC prior to his corporate practice, he found that 90% of those cases also lacked merit. And that percentage is still true of cases filed.

11. Because the vast majority of cases are frivolous, he easily wins by summary judgment to kill cases as granted by the courts.

12. Attorneys who represent workers (the plaintiffs bar) are all liars.

13. Media love to sensationalize stories of abuse at work when in fact they do not happen.

14. If the person who complains is the only one to define her or his experience as bullying or abuse when no one else does, it is just that one person’s subjective experience and it is not to be believed. That person has personal issues with being too sensitive (or is simply lying).

15. Employers are forced, by sniveling-scheming-lying-sue-crazy employees to mount expensive legal defenses. This makes for lots of work for the fellow who sat in my row.

16. Money spent on defense lawyers by employers could have gone into hiring American workers, but now companies must go to other countries to operate outside the onerous burden of U.S. employment law that gives workers power over employers.

17. Costs of frivolous lawsuits prevent companies from innovating or being competitive in global markets.

18. Those damn worker lawsuits raise the price of products and services because employers have to recoup their losses somehow.

19.Workers who sue for harassment get settlements (for example, $50,000) after the firm pays the defense attorneys much more because the insurance companies (large firms have Employment Practices Liability Insurance to cover litigation costs associated with discrimination-related cases) want to settle and payout.

20. It’s easy for workers to find physicians who will, for a fee, write reports contending that the worker is injured or harmed when that is not the case.

21. The sooner America becomes completely an employment-at-will nation (no unions or bargained contracts giving employees a say in their work conditions), the better.

22. The #1 union prevention tactic that employers use is to compel their managers to treat workers fairly so there can never be a reason to have a union. It’s not about compensation, benefits, pensions or job security — people want unions when they are mistreated.

23. There is no need for the anti-bullying Healthy Workplace Bill. Current laws and policies are adequate.

24. The valuable service corporate attorneys provide to employers is to keep them out of court. They promote prevention of mistreatment and work to “fix” the “jerkwads” or drive them out to save clients money, time and exposure to the risk of litigation.

25. If the HWB ever becomes law, it will simply make corporate defense attorneys like him richer. So, go ahead and pass the bill, it keeps folks like him on contract with employers.

Here was a man blind to the unconscionable abuse people are asked to suffer. He convinced himself long ago that if bad things happen to people at work it is their imagination.

I encounter people like him in cases for which I provide expert witness services and I read works by his ilk. However, I faced a first class BULLY APOLOGIST up close and personal. People who agree with him may constitute the majority of Americans. When we change the positions of people like him, we can declare America has reached its tipping point, its sea change moment.

Makes me want to wish that bullying finds him so he can fully grasp the impact of dehumanization he thinks does not occur. But that would too mean — even for a guy like that.

• Comcast channel 12
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• AT&T U-verse TV channel 99

Workplace bullying is a form of violence more severe and harmful than either incivility or disrespect.

WBI Podcast 33

Eventually, they find us and recognize that our description of their reality matches and voila, they have a name for what has been happening to them. They have been bullied at work!

Plenty of synonyms apply: psychological violence, abusive conduct, mobbing, psychological harassment.

When we started 16 years ago, I underestimated the power of this discovery. Since then, I’ve learned how powerful it is.

For the first time, targets can pinpoint the source of the treachery they’ve experienced. It is not them. They are not crazy. They know they didn’t invite the humiliation. But HR and the law (in the U.S. at least) did not allow them to legitimately, in a legal sense, hold abusers accountable.

Most important, they start to connect the dots. The sleepless nights now make sense. It’s stress. The loss of concentration and muddled thinking and sense of doom — it’s depression. Until they seem the causal sequence — bullying leads to stress-related health problems — they see no reason to visit their physician or to find a therapist. Now their doctor can tell them how dangerous their skyrocketing blood pressure is.

They were hurt, insulted and buried by an avalanche of injustice, but did not know to blame the bully. It is the bully (or bullies) who control who gets targeted, when assaults begin and end, and what particular version of cruelty is chosen. Externalizing the problem is the first step toward well being. Research reliably compares the mental health impact of sexual harassment to that of bullying. Bullying is always worse for its victims.

Until the target recognizes that it is bullying, a non-physical form of violence in the workplace, taking steps to get safe cannot begin.

That’s the power of naming it. The day targets discover those two soothing words — Workplace Bullying — is a happy, liberating day. Of course, the hard work has just begun, but it is the real beginning of working toward freedom with one’s eyes fully open.

The next series of support groups for targets of workplace bullying is about to begin!

WBI’s Professional Coach and Licensed Psychotherapist, Jessi Eden Brown, MS, LMHC, NCC, invites you to join the next round of support groups in the N. Seattle area.

This is an excellent chance to receive specialized guidance for dealing with your workplace bullying situation, as well as connect with other targets in our region.

Please email Jessi Eden Brown through her private practice to learn more about this opportunity.

Angela Book, at Brock University, and colleagues had 12 video clips of college students (8 men, 4 women) walking between classrooms from a previous study. The recorded students reported their history of victimization — from being bullied to criminal or sexual assaults. Each target’s gait, their style of walking, was coded by two independent judges. The premise was that body language cues indicate vulnerability. Targets coded as displaying vulnerable body language were more likely to have self-identified as a victim,

Study participants were 47 male prisoners in a Canadian maximum security facility, many with multiple offenses. Researchers used the prisoners’ scores on Robert Hare’s scale of psychopathy — the Psychopathy Check List (PCL). Special attention was paid to the part of the PCL score (Factor 1) associated with interpersonal traits such as manipulativeness, superficial charm, and lack of empathy can facilitate the exploitation of others.

The prisoners watched all 12 videos. They rated each target’s vulnerability to being victimized on a 10-point rating scale. Victimization was defined as “assault with the intent to rob or steal from the victim.” Prisoners were accurate in their judgments if they gave “nonvictims” a vulnerability score between 1 and 5 and if they gave “victims a vulnerability score between 6 and 10. In other words, past victims made the best future victims. Inmates with higher Factor 1 psychopathy scores demonstrated the greatest accuracy in detecting who had been victimized previously.

Prisoners also told how they identified those most vulnerable to being robbed. The answers were coded and distilled into categories. The cues used by prisoners were: gait, body posture (body movements not related to gait), age, sex, attractiveness, build, clothing, attention, fitness, environment (e.g., lack of lighting), and whether target was alone.

The top cues to vulnerability and the correlation with accuracy of victim identification for prisoners with the highest Factor 1 PCL (psychopathy) scores were:

Walk/gait Walks with confidence; walks like an easy target .26

Sex Because she’s a woman; wouldn’t mug a woman .19

Body type In good physical shape; heavy set & slow .17

Fitness Greater probability of fighting back; Able to defend self .18

Attention Not paying attention; Appears to be cautious .03

Only psychopaths among the prisoners group used gait as the key indicator of vulnerability. Targets who displayed vulnerable body language were more likely to report past histories of victimization, and psychopaths identified these individuals as being more vulnerable to future victimization.

Social predators are attracted to external, physical signs of vulnerability.

The study authors believe the walking/gait cue may account for why victimization repeats itself. They conclude that people can be trained to change their gait, but the effects seem temporary and over time the natural gait returns, complete with the residual effect of victimization.

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A. Book, K. Costello, & J.A. Camilleri (2013)Psychopathy and victim selection: The use of gait as a cue to vulnerability. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, Feb. 19, 2013, DOI: 10.1177/0886260512475315. To purchase the article.

In a May 13 statement, Seattle schools superintendent Jose Banda yielded and gave high school teachers the option to test or not. That’s the good news. And Banda will appoint another group to study the utility of the MAP for the future.

The victory is only partial because the MAP will still be required in grades K-8 two or three times per school year. Banda had formed a task force in response to the teacher boycott. A teacher survey followed. Fewer than 30% of those who responded to the survey believed the MAP is worth the time and effort.

Jesse Hagopian, teacher at Garfield High School where the boycott started (and spread to other schools involving hundreds of brave teachers risking discipline), told the Seattle Times, “This struggle is far from over.”

Please complete this survey that is part of my Doctoral dissertation through Aurora University, Aurora, IL.

The topic is “ A Systems Approach to Workplace Bullying in the K-12 Public Education Setting”.

Participants are invited to complete the survey regarding their observations or experiences in any of the roles in workplace bullying in the school setting. The opportunity to participate in an interview (either in person or by phone) regarding the experiences is available by providing the information at the end of the survey. Non-American respondents are not eligible for an interview at this time.

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Thank you for helping.

We at WBI are target-centric. We’ve chosen the other side. We didn’t start the U.S. Workplace Bullying movement to treat it as an academic exercise in neutrality. Targets deserve and need support. Institutions do a fine job of defending perpetrators.

In our nearly 16 years of listening to bullying tales, many targets have spoken of “seeing evil” in the faces of their bullies. The dictionary defines a demon as “a source or agent of evil, harm, distress, or ruin.” What bully has not caused harm or distress? So, when many bullies are demons, holding them accountable is accurately labeling them. Call it what you want. Wonder what transitive verb there is to describe the act of defending demons? I’d rather occasionally and justifiably demonize than be justifiably demonized.

Certainly not all perpetrators are evil. In our books and all of our speeches, we believe that most bullies are responsive to rewards inherent in the work environment that promotes aggression. In other words, good people outside work are transformed into antisocial actors. They are playing a role. Over time, rewarded bullying becomes the expected way to behave in a toxic workplace.

Given how cruel and vicious some bullies can be, it is amazing that anyone stands up to bullies. The empirical evidence — anecdotal tales told to WBI by callers and research studies by others and WBI — shows that overwhelming number of coworkers who witness workplace bullying do nothing to stop the bullying of a colleague.

However, at a public meeting in Minnetonka on April 30, I met the rarest of all people — those with courage to stand up to their bully demons.

Starting with the most bullyproof, a woman guided by a strong rule for self-preservation, in her words — f*** that sh**. You have to admire that. Its the strongest of boundaries, impregnable, letting no one with the intent to hurt her near her most private sacred identity.

Another pair of wonderful women demonstrated how vital it is to not allow our friends and colleagues suffer. One was the target, one was the witness. Together they faced down the bully, thwarting her at every turn. They never allowed the bully to get satisfaction from her meddling with the target’s career. The target moved to safety and still the bully pursued her. Justice was realized when the target was able to send a final e-mail to the bully signed “Peace,” which surely infuriated the frustrated bully.

Another pair was bonded by the strength shown by one woman who filed a suit after a failed union grievance and won. To her friend and all coworkers she had shown the power of not giving up. In the pair, one was a hero to the other. The “hero” was too humble to acknowledge how much she had helped the others with her moral courage. However, it was apparent to all of us in the room.

Another woman had wonderful advice for those seeking effective counselors. She credited two clinical techniques with making her treatment more effective than it had ever been. One was Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). There were others in the group that seconded the benefit from EFT. The second technique was EMDR. We agree that it might help to ask your counselor if she or he is familiar with one or both techniques. Anything that helps bullied targets is worth trying.

A daughter was instrumental in forcing her mother to spring into action against the bullying, to not passively absorb the pain and become immobilized. It was a great illustration that family is the deepest spring from which social support comes.

There were two husbands in the group who had steadfastly supported their bullied wives. Though it sounds like automatic behavior, weathering the obsession, anxiety and depression, shame and guilt that targets experience, it takes courage to stay with your loved one. Lots of men leave. They tire easily. Bullying is a family experience. It tears at the fabric of families. So, thanks to all partners, spouses and adult children who uncritically support their aggrieved and assaulted family member.

Kudos to the courageous among us who never accept workplace bullying as acceptable. You inspire us!

And thanks to everyone who attended the Minnetonka meeting. In the early years, Ruth and I were in constant personal contact with targets of workplace bullying. Seeing the faces and hearing your stories validates the years we have invested in struggling for change in our country.

We wish you all recovery and a return to as near a normal life as you can achieve.

Dear Kalola,

I am a teacher with 29 years experience. I have only taught in two schools in my entire career.  I am being bullied by a co-worker. I am her 5th victim. She taught 4th grade and spent years bullying a teacher until she nearly miscarried and eventually quit due to health issues. This bully was allowed to get away with it for several years.

She bullied students as well. One fellow teacher stood with the victim and filed a grievance with the school system. Nothing was done. This seemed to spark a fire in the bully and she intensified her attacks. This time she attacked about 4 students humiliating them in front of the entire grade. (4 classes). Several of the students had been repeatedly bullied by the teacher and they also filed grievances. One child was also the child of the brave teacher who stood as support for the other.

The system fearing a lawsuit by the parents, agreed to move the teacher out of the 4th grade. Unfortunately she was placed in Pre-K with me. The bullying was immediate. I first thought it was something I did, but as I tried to comply the bullying became more intense. This has gone on for over 4 years. I as well as another have filed complaints after complaints. She bullies students still. However, they are too young to go home and tell.

Over half the school has been “harassed” or “threatened” by her at least once. Over 3/4ths of the staff have seen her do these things. However, she continues to get away with it. Two teachers have left because of her bullying.

I have been verbally assaulted alone, and in front of my students as well as in front of others. She has socially isolated me from others in Pre-K. Whenever, they attempt to include me, they get her rage directed at them. They have apologized but are fearful. She has slandered my name and have tried repeatedly to discredit me. However, I have a good deal of people who have known me for years and could never be persuaded to believe what she says. However, the constant bullying and the fact that things can go good for days only to be hit unexpectedly by an action, comment or incident has made my life miserable. Every time I go to report it, it is swept under the rug. Excuses are made and she wins. The last incident where I was verbally assaulted in front of my students, was met with comments from my Principal as to what I might have done to provoke it.

I do a lot for the school. I manage the Positive Behavior Intervention and Support Team. I plan programs and activities to promote positive behavior. I have a good relationship with the staff and with parents in the community. I volunteer to help with groups and organizations. She being a former 4th grade teacher helps with testing and does the school year book for our school as well as our partner school. He says he can not afford to lose either one of us.

I have one more year until I can retire. I would like to teach for a few more years but do not think I can handle it. It does not even matter that she bullies small children. My principal said, “Is it really bullying?” She also talks very explicit in regards to sexual things in front of the students. Several have tried to report it but nothing is ever done. Is it hopeless? Am I doomed to endure another year and can I physically make it. My health has been compromised due to stress. The pattern of bullying over the past 8 years seem to be ignored.

I recently contacted a lawyer. He said that serial bullying is unwinnable in court. My only hope is that a parent will come forward to file a claim. But if I tell a parent of the abuse that we see, I am liable for termination. Our counselor has been victim and has seen the abuse but has been told that it is nitpicking he said she said stuff and told to ignore our cries by the principal. I am scared for the first time in my life to be at work, not from irate parents but from a co-worker.

Long-Time Teacher

Dear Long-Time Teacher,

As you have learned from contacting an attorney, workplace bullying is not against the law in your state or in any state in the U.S. as of this writing.

The school bullying law in your state is about school bullying among students, that is, by other students or groups of students, and does not include adults.  See RS 17:416.13, http://www.legis.state.la.us/lss/lss.asp?doc=81029

Excerpt of Definition of Bullying (in schools) from Louisiana’s RS 17:416.13:

You and your co-worker  are tenured teachers.  It is very difficult to dismiss a tenured teacher.  After three years of probationary status and a series of evaluations, a teacher in your state became tenured prior to Governor Jindal’s education reform laws of 2012.   However, in March 2013, a Louisiana District Court Judge threw out Governor Jindal’s controversial teacher-tenure laws as unconstitutional.   “The ruling that threw out last year’s law that limits tenure didn’t say the change itself is unconstitutional,  it just said the way lawmakers did it was improper.”  The State of Louisiana plans to contest the lower court’s decision in the Louisiana Supreme Court.  As part of the Governor’s education reform, he wanted to change the way a teacher is tenured.  A new teacher would have a six-year probationary period with five evaluations during that six-year period.  A previously-tenured teacher could lose their tenure status after one ineffective rating.  Several teacher groups in your state are protesting re-introducing the education reforms that were passed last year (2012) and, recently, declared unconstitutional.

Reference:http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/mar/4/la-judge-throws-out-gov-bobby-jindals-teacher-tenu/
Reference:http://www.wwl.com/LA-teacher-tenure-debate-to-get-hashed-out-again-i/15952573
Reference:http://www.ksla.com/story/22057620/educators-announce-unity-in-opposition-to-jindal-agenda

The State Supreme Court will decide if the 2012 law is unconstitutional.  What is in question—State of Louisiana, Board of Education, Educator Effectiveness (Act 1):  “In 2012, three acts were passed into law as part of a statewide initiative toward major education reform.  Act 1, also referred to as the Talent Statute, allows districts and schools to make personnel policies and personnel decisions based on teacher effectiveness and performance.  The statute calls for teachers to be compensated based on their experience, license area, and effectiveness—and although it allows districts to reward teachers who perform above and beyond expected standards, Act 1 prohibits any current teacher’s salary from being decreased and has no impact on retirement benefits.  The law also preserves tenure for current teachers:  starting in 2014, only those teachers who earn an “Ineffective” rating would lose their tenure status.  Finally, Act 1 designated local superintendents and principals as the final authority in personnel decisions, while at the same time holding them accountable for student performance.”

Reference:http://bese.louisiana.gov/current-initiatives/act-1-educator-effectiveness

Act 1 designates that local superintendents and principals are the final authority in making personnel decisions.  Your school principal moved the offending teacher to another grade level.   In other states, the school board would have the final say concerning personnel decisions.  Due to the confidentiality of personnel records, you have no way of knowing whether the offending teacher was written up.  I would suspect that the offending teacher was written up, and that is why she was moved to another grade level.

Because you mentioned the following:  “My only hope is that a parent will come forward to file a claim.  But if I tell a parent of the abuse that we see, I am liable for termination.”— May I remind you that as a school teacher, you have certain reporting requirements mandated by law.  Be aware that there could be criminal penalties in your state for failing to report.

If you report that your co-worker has been abusive to children then you must be prepared to show documentation or proof of your allegations or you could be called on the carpet for making false allegations.   You will need to detail what you mean by “abusive.”  What exactly did she say or do and who did she target?  Document date/time, location, parties involved, witnesses, and exactly what happened or what was said in detail.  Do not say that she bullied or she abused or she humiliated without including specific details?   Please detail so that a person can get a clear picture in their mind when you make the statement.  Take note of the effects of psychological abuse that you may have observed in the young children in your charge.

From the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services:

• The infliction, attempted infliction, or as a result of inadequate supervision, the allowance of the infliction or attempted infliction of physical or mental injury upon the child by a parent or other person.
• The exploitation or overwork of a child by a parent or any other person.
• The involvement of the child in any sexual act with a parent or any other person, or the aiding or toleration by the parent or any other person the child’s sexual involvement with another person or the child’s involvement in pornographic displays, or any other involvement of a child in sexual activity constituting a crime under the laws of this state.

Reference:http://dss.louisiana.gov/index.cfm?md=pagebuilder&tmp=home&pid=109

It is often said that there is strength in numbers.  Can you get a group of your fellow teachers together who are willing to come forward and state the issues/problems that you say that so many of you have encountered, witnessed, or experienced with the offending party?  If you have good documentation, your group could go to the school board en masse to complain if your school principal fails to respond.  The school board could call for an investigation of the matter if they so choose.   Does the job description for teacher include being able to work cooperatively with others?  Being able to communicate effectively?  If it does, weave that into your complaint or allegations.  If any laws, codes, rules or regulations, policies or procedures have been violated by the offending worker do list these in your letter of complaint and give examples.  However, only list things that you or the group are able to substantiate with documentation. You may want to re-visit this issue with an attorney and seek his/her legal opinion before going forward with actions.

An excellent scholarly article to read can be found in the American Counseling Association’s Journal of Counseling and Development, Volume 86, Issue 1, Winter of 2008:  Emotional Abuse in the Classroom:  Implications and Interventions for Counselors by Adriana G. McEachern, Oyaziwo Aluede and Maureen C. Kenny. At the end of the article is a list of the authors’ references for further research.  This article can be accessed via the publisher’s on-line library.

Reference:  http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jcad.2008.86.issue-1/issuetoc

Article Abstract:  “Emotional abuse of students by teachers is a topic infrequently discussed in the child abuse literature.  In some classrooms, it can be a daily occurrence.  This article defines emotional abuse and discusses the types of classroom behaviors teachers may demonstrate that are emotionally abusive to students.  The role of school-based counselors in the prevention and treatment of emotional abuse is discussed.”

An excerpt from the article:  “Emotional abuse can severely damage a student’s sense of self worth and self perception, and impair psychological development including intelligence, recognition, perception, attention, imagination, and moral development (Stevens, 1996).”

If your health has suffered as a result of working with your co-worker, please see your doctor and tell your doctor what you are experiencing at work and how it has affected your health.  Please ask your doctor for a referral to a mental health professional who can help you to learn how to cope more effectively with the issues that you are facing.  The Workplace Bullying Institute also offers suggestions on how to find a mental health professional, http://www.workplacebullying.org/individuals/solutions/selecting-a-therapist/

Your last sentence states:  “I am scared for the first time in my life to be at work, not from irate parents but from a co-worker.”  If the co-worker/teacher has made threats to do harm to you or others and if you feel that your life has been threatened, please contact the police and file a police report.  Once you have a police report, make a copy to give to your school principal.  Please discuss your fears with a mental health professional who can help you deal with the work-related issues that you are experiencing.

You are one year from retirement which is an option that you are considering.  Your health and well being are very important.  The health-harming effects of working in an abusive work environment can be long lasting.  I want you to be able to enjoy your retirement.  In retirement, you can still work with children by volunteering on a part-time basis at a school if you so desire.

I recall a group of doctors who came to a meeting of Healthy Workplace Advocates stating that their group was successful in removing a bully.  The bully, however, was merely transferred to another department within the same hospital.  This was not success.

Sincerely,

Kalola

Every workplace has bullies, But when the workplace is a hospital, it’s not just an employee problem.

The worker, according to court documents, felt threatened: His superior came at him “with clenched fists, piercing eyes, beet-red face, popping veins, and screaming and swearing.” He thought he was about to be hit. Instead, his angry co-worker stormed out of the room.

But it wasn’t just any room: It was in a hospital, adjacent to a surgical area. The screamer was a cardiac surgeon, and the threatened employee was a perfusionist, a person who operates a heart/lung machine during open heart surgery. In 2008, the Indiana Supreme Court ruling in Raess v. Doescher upheld a $325,000 settlement for the perfusionist, who said he was traumatized.

It’s enough to make any patient wonder: Just how well does my health care team get along?

The question is worth pondering, say experts in what is commonly called “disruptive behavior.” Every workplace, like every schoolyard, has its bullies. But when the workplace is a doctor’s office, hospital room or surgical suite — when doctors throw charts at nurses or nurses throw insults at trainees — it isn’t just a workplace problem. It’s a patient-safety issue, these experts say.

“The impact in health care is significant because you are dealing with patients’ lives,” says Peter Angood, CEO of the American College of Physician Executives in Tampa.

Health executives have paid increasing attention to the problem since 2009, when the Joint Commission, which accredits hospitals and other health care organizations, published standards on preventing and dealing with what it calls “behaviors that undermine a culture of safety.” The commission says such “intimidating and disruptive behaviors” can include “verbal outbursts and physical threats,” but also can include using a condescending tone or refusing to answer questions or perform duties. Co-workers or patients may be on the receiving end.

But no matter who is the immediate victim, “most organizations are beginning to understand that this is about patient safety,” says Marty Martin, a psychologist based at DePaul University in Chicago. He co-wrote a guide book, Taming Disruptive Behavior recently published by the physician executive group. The book details growing evidence linking bad behavior with patient harm.

For example, in one survey of more than 4,500 health care workers, 77% reported disruptive behavior by doctors and 65% reported it among nurses. More than two-thirds said such behaviors led to medical errors; nearly one-third said they contributed to patient deaths. A smaller West Coast survey of labor and delivery nurse managers found disruptive behaviors were widespread and had contributed to “near-misses and adverse occurrences.”

The link between bullying and medical mistakes lies in human nature, Martin says. “Say, for example, you are going to get a colonoscopy. You are now sedated, and you don’t know what’s going on. Now let’s say the gastroenterologist and the nurse get into a verbal conflict. One or both of them is likely to be distracted.” If you end up with a perforated colon, he says, it may be because of that distraction, rather than any lack of medical skill.

Various studies based on staff reports and patient complaints suggest 3% to 5% of physicians are disruptive, according to a report in the Annals of Internal Medicine in 2006. Studies also have found that 5% of physicians in any health care organization account for more than a third of complaints from patients and for 40% of malpractice claims, says Gerald Hickson, director of the Center for Patient and Professional Advocacy at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville.

Many such physicians will improve after some basic counseling from their peers, Hickson says. But a few need a formal intervention program. A model “distressed physicians” program launched at Vanderbilt in 2004 has been reproduced at several other centers. More than half of physicians who attend them return to work, Hickson says.

William Swiggart, a therapist who co-directs Vanderbilt’s intervention program, says: “Sometimes when a physician stays in an institution, that’s a success. Sometimes when he leaves it’s a success.”

Swiggart says at least 80% of physicians sent to the program are male, and a majority are surgeons. They often are highly competitive perfectionists, he says, who see themselves as having high standards and looking out for patients.

“Often their patients love them, but the staff hates them,” he says. Sometimes, he adds, it’s the other way around.

Patients who experience or witness boorish behavior have every right to speak up, Martin says, because the quality of their medical care may depend upon it.

He suggests going to hospital or clinic administrators and “sharing what you observed and how it made you feel.” If you plan to switch doctors or take other action, let them know that, too, he suggests.

Link to the original article

Dr. Ruth Namie thought she’d be helping families solve their problems when she began working in a private clinic in 1995.

Instead, the clinical psychiatrist ran into one of her own. Her name was Sheila, and she proved to be the proverbial “boss from hell.”

Sheila was nice for the first three weeks, then began complaining that Namie was “worthless,” said Namie’s husband, social psychologist Gary Namie.

The bullying ratcheted up when Sheila overheard clients say that they drove an hour just to see Namie, and were urging others to go to her instead of Sheila. Sheila stripped Namie of her clinical work and gave her clerical work instead.

The Namies hired a lawyer, but discovered to their dismay that there was nothing illegal about one woman bullying another. They figured there must be some organization that could help, but there wasn’t one. So the couple started the Campaign Against Workplace Bullying.

That effort has grown into The Workplace Bullying Institute, two books on the subject and speaking engagements across the country, including one by Gary Namie at the 29th Annual Employment Law Update last week in Richmond.

He defines bullying in the workplace as serious, repeated, health-harming violence. It can take the form of the verbal abuse that Sheila dished out, as well as threatening conduct, intimidation, humiliation and/or sabotage that prevents others from getting work done.

The bully is usually someone in a position of authority, and the victim is often blindsided because they weren’t expecting someone to attack or lie about them at work, he said during a phone interview from his office in Bellingham, Wash.

According to a national survey that the Workplace Bullying Institute commissioned in 2010, 35 percent of the U.S. workforce—an estimated 53.5 million Americans—reported being bullied at work, and an additional 15 percent had witnessed it.

A new supervisor, for example, might target a respected veteran employee because of a feeling that this person undermines the supervisor’s authority. The new boss might begin bullying by berating the employee.

This can cause the employee stress and lead to a host of medical problems such as high blood pressure, irritable bowel syndrome and fibromyalgia. It can also reduce the ability to concentrate and do one’s work.

“After a short period of time, it becomes known that the employee is less competent,” Namie said. “It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. The supervisor is able to get HR to put the employee on probation, and they get so highly stressed that they’re driven out of the workplace.”

That hurts businesses due to the loss of a formerly valuable employee, possible litigation costs and, in extreme cases, a violent retaliation by the victim, he said.

To help prevent workplace bullying, the Institute has crafted a Healthy Workplace bill. It would allow victims to sue bullies and their employers if they can prove that it was so severe that it affected their health.

The bill also protects conscientious employers from vicarious liability risk when internal correction and prevention mechanisms are in effect, and gives them the reason to terminate or sanction offenders.

“That’s what we really want the bill to do, for employers to say, ‘All I have got to do is take care of this?’” Namie said.

Twenty-four states have introduced the bill since 2003, and Massachusetts and New York are expected to pass it soon. Coordinators are talking with potential sponsors in Virginia.

Cathy Jett: 540/374-5407

cjett@freelancestar.com

Registered nurse Renee Thompson of South Park will never forget the moment that almost ended her career, but ultimately inspired her to tackle what she calls an unspoken epidemic: nurse-to-nurse bullying.

“When I was just starting out, a supervisor who was always yelling at me called me an idiot in front of a physician I really respected because I could not get a copy machine to work,” Thompson says. “I was on the verge of tears when the doctor took me aside, and said, ‘My dear, why would you ever let anyone less capable and intelligent talk to you in this way?’

“If he hadn’t said that, I might have quit, but he changed my whole attitude.”

Thompson confronted the supervisor about the demeaning behavior, and began to pay more attention to similar incidents among colleagues.

As she moved from bedside to administrative nursing, she realized how prevalent bullying is, Thompson says. “When I’d meet with new nurses, all they wanted to talk about was how poorly they were being treated by other nurses. It reminded me of my own experience and put me on a path of wanting to impact the problem.”

Thompson founded RTConnections, a firm that consults about bullying and other aspects of professional development in the health care field, and recently published “ ‘Do No Harm’ Applies to Nurses, Too: Strategies to Protect and Bully-Proof Yourself at Work.”

Bullying may be universal, says Thompson, “but it is especially perverse when it involves nurses because we’re supposed to be all about caregiving.”

Yet, the issue is so prevalent that 60 percent of new nurses leave a job within six months, according to a study by St. Joseph University in Philadelphia, which found that abusive behaviors like sabotage and insults are perpetrated nurse-to-nurse 80 percent of the time.

So-called horizontal violence is more common than bullying by supervisors, physicians, patients or patient families, the study revealed.

The reasons are complicated, but can be traced, in part, to the sense of powerlessness nurses feel in the command-and-control hospital hierarchy, says Kathleen Bartholomew, a Washington state-based registered nurse and author of books about nurse bullying. “Not having power causes any group to turn on themselves, but there are issues particular to health care that compound hostility in nursing. It is learned behaviors from generations ago and a part of our cultural meme.”

Usually, the most competent workers are the ones who get picked on, according to Gary Namie, a Washington, Pa., native who founded the Workplace Bullying Institute in Bellingham, Wash.

“People are targeted for their strengths, not their weaknesses because they pose the greatest threat,” he says, adding that new nurses are among the most vulnerable.

“Because they are so focused on their patients, they have their backs turned to the political wrangling. By their pro-social natures, they don’t even think in terms of political gamesmanship, which can end up hurting them.”

Backstabbing, unfair assignments and other bullying behaviors among staff can harm patients, too, according to a University of Cincinnati College of Nursing study, in which 25 percent of health-care workers connected bullying to patient mortality, and 75 percent to adverse clinical outcomes.

In an article on bullying and medical errors, Bartholomew indicates that if hospital leadership were to shift power from “a hierarchy to a tribe,” nurses would feel safer in questioning orders, seeking support and reporting medical mistakes.

Registered nurse Dina Sheriff of New Eagle, Washington County, says she came to the realization, after 35 years in critical care — nearly half of it as an emergency-department charge nurse — that her “thick skin and direct demeanor” could be counter-productive.

“I’d never looked at it as bullying, but I had developed a significant reputation for being aggressive and intimidating,” Sheriff says. “I was known as a very good nurse, but nobody sought me out for help or expertise because they were afraid of me. That was my lightbulb. I wondered if I’m that unapproachable, what critical information about a patient isn’t getting where it needs to be.”

Now working in staff development at an area hospital, Sheriff says she addresses bullying’s impacts when educating others. “People who perceive they have no power can sabotage you and make you miserable,” she says. “When you promote effective teamwork, everyone’s job is easier, and it benefits the patient.”

Most hospitals have zero-tolerance-for-bullying policies, but unless they receive formal complaints about a worker’s behavior, the bullying will continue, says Thompson, who believes change best occurs at the grassroots level.

“It takes one manager on one unit to say, ‘OK, we’re going to create a culture of stability and respect,’ and then model that behavior,” Thompson says. “If you don’t want gossip in your unit, don’t gossip.”

It’s understandable that tempers will flare in a life-or-death environment, like a surgery suite or emergency department, but there is a difference between losing it on occasion and constantly demeaning others, Thompson says.

“If your supervisor snaps and apologizes after, that’s having a bad day. Bullies never apologize. They behave badly on a regular basis and rationalize their behavior.”

That makes it important for the target to deal with the problem head-on, rather than vent or complain to co-workers, Thompson says.

“Wait until the incident is over and emotions have cooled, and then ask for some time to talk about what happened. Relate your concerns to the impact on productivity and patient safety.”

It takes courage to stand up to a bully, but we can teach people how to treat us, says Thompson, who remembers a particularly painful incident she had as an administrator.

“I was in a meeting once with a chief nursing officer who went off on me in front of other people. It was all I could do not to cry,” she recalls. “My boss said, ‘If you don’t address this within the next 72 hours, you’ll set the tone that she can treat you this way for the rest of your relationship with her.’ ”

Thompson says she was so nervous she had to write a script and then rehearse it before making the call.

When she told the woman that she’d felt personally attacked in the meeting, she apologized, Thompson says. “Her response was, ‘Oh, Renee, I’m so sorry. I really respect you for calling me on it.’ ”

Deborah Weisberg is a contributing writer to Trib Total Media.

Read more: http://triblive.com/lifestyles/morelifestyles/3831883-74/nurse-bullying-says#ixzz2RDoaSJ4n

AFT-Healthcare Conference/Baltimore April 25

New York State Psychological Association/New York City April 28

Hennepin County Bar Association/Minneapolis April 30

Free public event/Ridgeway Library/Minnetonka, MN April 30

Workplace Bullying University, Bellingham, WA May 10-12

Work, Stress & Health Conference (APA/NIOSH)/Los Angeles May 17 & 18

American politicians embraced austerity citing R&R as evidence. House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan famously cited R&R when he presented his budget. The politicians now pushing for cuts in Social Security and Medicare cite R&R. States and cities have gone broke. Self-imposed sequestration at the federal level has deprived people of human services — Meals on Wheels, Head Start, Chemotherapy for cancer patients relying on Medicare, etc. Misery somehow justified by the R&R model.

Turns out the adage — garbage in/garbage out — is still true about data. Economists — Thomas Herndon, Michael Ash, Robert Pollin — at the Univ. of Massachusetts Political Economy Research Institute (PERI) could not replicate the R&R findings. So, they asked for the raw data.

Oops. Turns out R&R entered wrong figures for New Zealand. They had excluded four years of growth data in which it was above the 90 percent debt-to-GDP threshold. When these four years are added in, the average growth rate in New Zealand for its high debt years was 2.6 percent, compared to the -7.6 percent that R&R had entered in their calculation.

The PERI study findings contradicted R&R: when properly calculated, the average real GDP growth rate for countries carrying a public-debt-to-GDP ratio of over 90 percent is actually 2.2 percent, not −0.1 percent. The justification for austerity is an error, a lie by any other name.

Astute economists caught this error and the implications.

Dean Baker of the Center for Economic and Policy Research:

Since R&R country weight their data (each country’s growth rate has the same weight), and there are only seven countries that cross into the high debt region, correcting this one mistake alone adds 1.5 percentage points to the average growth rate for the high debt countries. This eliminates most of the falloff in growth that R&R find from high debt levels. (HAP find several other important errors in the R&R paper, however the missing New Zealand years are the biggest part of the story.)

This is a big deal because politicians around the world have used this finding from R&R to justify austerity measures that have slowed growth and raised unemployment. In the United States many politicians have pointed to R&R’s work as justification for deficit reduction even though the economy is far below full employment by any reasonable measure. In Europe, R&R’s work and its derivatives have been used to justify austerity policies that have pushed the unemployment rate over 10 percent for the euro zone as a whole and above 20 percent in Greece and Spain. In other words, this is a mistake that has had enormous consequences. …

The corrected Reinhart and Rogoff paper would be telling us to kiss Social Security and Medicare goodbye completely and tighten our belts with some real tax increases.

Of course we are not hearing such calls, because the paper itself was not actually the basis for policy. Rather its finding were being used to provide cover by those who wanted to cut Social Security, Medicare and other programs that enjoy high levels of public support. It would be impossible to garner the political support needed for cuts to these programs on the merits, so the politicians pushing these cuts were happy to use the erroneous findings from Reinhart and Rogoff to advance their agenda.

The Reinhart and Rogoff paper was not used only to argue for cuts to popular social insurance programs, it was also used to argue against government efforts to boost the economy and create jobs. The opponents of these policies argued that efforts to spur the economy would prove to be counterproductive because Reinhart and Rogoff showed us that higher debt levels would mean slower growth.

New York Times columnist and economist Paul Krugman wrote:

Reinhart-Rogoff quickly achieved almost sacred status among self-proclaimed guardians of fiscal responsibility; their tipping-point claim was treated not as a disputed hypothesis but as unquestioned fact. For example, a Washington Post editorial earlier this year warned against any relaxation on the deficit front, because we are “dangerously near the 90 percent mark that economists regard as a threat to sustainable economic growth.” Notice the phrasing: “economists,” not “some economists,” let alone “some economists, vigorously disputed by other economists with equally good credentials,” which was the reality.

For the truth is that Reinhart-Rogoff faced substantial criticism from the start, and the controversy grew over time. As soon as the paper was released, many economists pointed out that a negative correlation between debt and economic performance need not mean that high debt causes low growth. It could just as easily be the other way around, with poor economic performance leading to high debt. Indeed, that’s obviously the case for Japan, which went deep into debt only after its growth collapsed in the early 1990s.

###

Do you think any apologies or re-hirings will soon follow the identification of the error?

Top 25 tactics adopted by workplace bullies (as reported by bullied targets)

1. falsely accused someone of “errors” not actually made (71%)
2. stared, glared, was nonverbally intimidating and was clearly showing hostility (68%)
3. discounted the person’s thoughts or feelings (“oh, that’s silly”) in meetings (64%)
4. used the “silent treatment” to “ice out” & separate from others (64%)
5. exhibited presumably uncontrollable mood swings in front of the group (61%)
6. made up own rules on the fly that even she/he did not follow (61%)
7. disregarded satisfactory or exemplary quality of completed work despite evidence (58%)
8. harshly and constantly criticized having a different ‘standard’ for the Target (57%)
9. started, or failed to stop, destructive rumors or gossip about the person (56%)
10. encouraged people to turn against the person being tormented (55%)
11. singled out and isolated one person from co-workers, either socially or physically (54%) 12. publicly displayed “gross,” undignified, but not illegal, behavior (53%)
13. yelled, screamed, threw tantrums in front of others to humiliate a person (53%)
14. stole credit for work done by others (47%)
15. abused the evaluation process by lying about the person’s performance (46%)
16. “insubordinate” for failing to follow arbitrary commands (46%)
17. used confidential information about a person to humiliate privately or publicly (45%)
18. retaliated against the person after a complaint was filed (45%)
19. made verbal put-downs/insults based on gender, race, accent or language, disability (44%)
20. assigned undesirable work as punishment (44%)
21. made undoable demands– workload, deadlines, duties — for person singled out (44%)
22. launched a baseless campaign to oust the person and not stopped by the employer (43%)
23. encouraged the person to quit or transfer rather than to face more mistreatment (43%)
24. sabotaged the person’s contribution to a team goal and reward (41%)
25. ensured failure of person’s project by not performing required tasks: signoffs, taking calls, working with collaborators (40%)

You can download the entire study here.

© 2003, Workplace Bullying Institute.

Part of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 created the policy that working more than 40 hours per week entitled workers to compensation at one and one-half their pay rate for each hour worked in overtime. Unions enjoy that benefit. Unionized workers can work overtime and accept “comp time” converted to paid time off at the 1.5 hour rate. Non-unionized workers do not have the same benefit.

Now comes the 2013 version of a bill introduced in the U.S. Congress since 1998, unabashedly mis-titled “Working Families Flexibility Act.” Chris Hayes of MSNBC (in the video above) calls it “Orwellian.” Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D) calls it a “cruel hoax on the American family.”

On April 11, the “Workforce Protections” Subcommittee of the House Education and Workforce Committee (called Education and Labor under Democratic chairmen) held a hearing on the bill, H.R. 1406. Read the text of the bill here.

The bill pretends to offer private sector employees the choice to work overtime and to request time off in the future in lieu of overtime pay. Overtime pays at the 1.5 per hour rate. Comp time accrued according to this bill will give 1 hour time off for 1 hour worked in overtime. In other words, employers get overtime work without having to pay for it. Also, the employee must request time. Employers can refuse to grant time off “if the use of the compensatory time does not unduly disrupt the operations of the employer.” It’s not hard to imagine how requests for time off will be routinely denied. If comp time cannot be taken, the employer simply pays the employee at the hourly (not overtime) rate.

This bill is an employer’s dream. Rep. Eric Cantor supports it and that tells me all I need to know about the underlying motives for the bill. And in case you don’t know the legislative positions of SHRM, the HR trade group, SHRM supports this bill and testified in support of it. Here’s a transcript of their testimony.

Testifying in opposition to the bill, Judith Lichtman, National Partnership for Women and Families, said:

This legislation would put workers at very real risk. An employee who does not accept comp time could find himself or herself penalized with fewer hours, non-preferred shifts and loss of overtime work. The employee’s “choice,” then, would be to accept comp time instead of needed pay or, if he or she reasonably asks for pay for overtime work and faces retaliation, try to fight it in court. That is an unrealistic expectation for workers who fear losing their jobs and have no resources with which to litigate.

Said Juanita Phillips, speaking on behalf of SHRM in support of the bill:

HR professionals are on the front lines of devising workplace strategies to create effective and flexible organizations. As such, SHRM and its members have given careful consideration to the role public policy can play in advancing the adoption of workplace flexibility. It is our strong belief that public policy must not hinder an employer’s ability to provide flexible work options. Rather, public policy should incentivize and enhance the voluntary employer adoption of workplace flexibility programs. We are please to support H.R. 1406 because it meets this important threshold.

You can download the text of testimony given at the Committee website.

We advocates for anti-bullying legislation are told to tiptoe around lawmakers lest we offend them. Meanwhile the business lobbyists lie about bullying and the specifics of our bill. We get crushed by remaining civil and polite. It’s time for a change.

But Giffords reminds us that elected officials work for us and can be fired when they make wrong decisions. When their self-interest in re-election funds overwhelm doing the right thing for public safety and they coddle the NRA and Gun Owners of America and do their bidding instead. Her remarks are not delicate. Candor from this former politician is welcome.

We take her words as inspiration for all who help the campaign to enact the Healthy Workplace Bill. Giffords is a one-issue advocate now, like us. She spares no wrath when telling the truth. We should be so bold.

Here is some of what she wrote:

Some of the senators who voted against the background-check amendments have met with grieving parents whose children were murdered at Sandy Hook, in Newtown. Some of the senators who voted no have also looked into my eyes as I talked about my experience being shot in the head at point-blank range in suburban Tucson two years ago, and expressed sympathy for the 18 other people shot besides me, 6 of whom died. These senators have heard from their constituents — who polls show overwhelmingly favored expanding background checks. And still these senators decided to do nothing. Shame on them. …

I watch TV and read the papers like everyone else. We know what we’re going to hear: vague platitudes like “tough vote” and “complicated issue.” …

I am asking every reasonable American to help me tell the truth about the cowardice these senators demonstrated. …

I’m asking citizens to go to their offices and say: You’ve disappointed me, and there will be consequences. …

They will try to hide their decision behind grand talk, behind willfully false accounts of what the bill might have done — trust me, I know how politicians talk when they want to distract you — but their decision was based on a misplaced sense of self-interest.

Read the text of her full editorial.

As a native of the Pittsburgh, PA area, I grew up with Mr. Rogers on local TV, even before he went national. Long before bullying invaded our family’s life, my research specialty was altruism, helping behavior. In light of the Boston tragedy, his sage advice rings true.

Dear Kalola,

It has been more than three months since my resignation. I would have thought that it would be behind me by now. Instead, the feelings of betrayal linger and even are fueled at times. Over the last few months, I have questioned my part in this-which makes me crazier. Was I really bullied? How could someone like me – strong, confident, reasonable- be bullied. Aren’t the weak more victimized?

I WAS BULLIED! There I said it! Isn’t that supposed to make it better? Really, nothing makes it better. The trauma caused by bullying, I’m learning, is devastating. It was an attack on my person, the essence of who I am. The things that were “me” were assaulted and deemed invaluable, even hated! I find myself now asking, “who am I?”

It has been a roller coaster of emotions since the onslaught began more than 1 1/2 years ago. The escalation is subtle. Gestures, overtones, nuances all describe the tactics used on me. Those turned into unreasonable expectations, lies about my performance, ganging up on me with other workers, shunning me, and creating a false narrative about me and my abilities. By the time I resigned, I was broken-I’m still broken. I don’t know how I am holding it together. Well, yes I do- my strong belief in God and family and friends who love me. That’s how I maintain my sanity.

Yet, though I appear together-I am hanging on by a thread. Every day must be filled with constant distraction. I paint my walls, start my indoor garden, clean out my closets, read books, renovate my home-anything that will keep me from thinking about these events. I know I need to work, move on, etc. But how? I am in no condition to apply for a job, I have no confidence!

So, I sit wondering what task I can do today that makes me feel normal again. I’ve read that it may take a year or so to “get over” this. I can’t seem to imagine normal. My normal has changed-I have changed. A friend tells me that this will give me depth of experience-I just see it as plunging me into the depths. It’s sink or swim. I wish my parents had given me swimming lessons. Now what?

Finding Me

Dear Finding Me,

Although it wasn’t easy to do, you quit your job.  No one should have to work in an abusive environment with toxic people.   Walking away was the best thing that you could do to preserve your health and sanity.  You are fortunate to have your faith as well as the support of your family and friends during this most difficult time.  You are not alone.

What you are going through and what you describe sounds like depression. However, it would be a good idea to see your doctor as there are other health conditions that have symptoms similar to depression.  A doctor can order lab tests to rule out other conditions.   According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , “someone who is depressed has feelings of sadness or anxiety that lasts for weeks at a time”, and may experience the following:

• Feelings of hopelessness and/or pessimism
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, and/or helplessness
• Irritability, restlessness
• Loss of interest in activities or hobbies that were once pleasurable
• Fatigue and decreased energy
• Difficulty concentrating, remembering details, and making decisions
• Insomnia, early-morning wakefulness, or excessive sleeping
• Overeating, or appetite loss
• Thoughts of suicide, suicide attempts
• Persistent aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems that do not get better, even with treatment

The CDC suggests that people who suffer from depression or anxiety should seek help as early as possible.  Those that seek help for their symptoms when treated with antidepressant drugs, psychotherapy, or a combination of both will see improvement.

Reference:  CDC Features—Treatment Works: Get Help for Depression and Anxiety: http://www.cdc.gov/features/Depression/ 

Another Resource:  National Institutes of Health’s Medline Plus.  Medline Plus is produced by the National Library of Medicine which provides reliable, up-to-date, free health information about diseases, conditions, and wellness issues. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/depression.html

Please talk to your primary doctor about what you are going through, and get a thorough health exam.  If your health condition warrants medication,  your doctor can prescribe it.   Ask your doctor for a referral to a mental health professional.  A mental health professional can help you to cope with the issues that you have described.  The anti-bullying Workplace Bullying Institute (WBI) also offers suggestions on how to find a mental health professional, http://www.workplacebullying.org/individuals/solutions/selecting-a-therapist/

You have a strong work ethic. You are ethical and honest, that is, you have integrity.  You are well liked by others.  The fact is that bullies are not ethical nor are they honest.  Bullies lack integrity.  They feel no remorse for what they do to Targets.  If they are caught bullying and are punished or reprimanded, a rare occurrence, the only remorse they might feel is that they got caught.  The single most difficult thing for a target to understand is that they are not dealing with a reasonable person and, therefore, can’t reason with their abuser(s).  The bully’s character is flawed.

A 2003 Workplace Bullying Institute survey found that the top reasons Targets gave for being bullied were the following:

1. The Target’s refusal to be subservient, to not go along with being controlled
2. The Target’s superior competence or technical skill
3. The Target’s social skills:  being liked, positive attitude
4. Ethical, honest reporting of fraud and abuse (whistleblower-type of behavior)

Drs. Gary and Ruth Namie say in their book, The Bully at Work:  What You Can Do to Stop the Hurt and Reclaim Your Dignity on the Job:  “Justice is a principle that causes Targets limitless pain.  The entire complaint-response system disappoints the person hoping to see justice done.  When bullies are confronted about their misconduct, they lie.  This outrages the Target, who may have taken great risks to have the bullying surface in public.”

What happened to you was not your fault.   You worked in an abusive work environment.  You were the target of several abusers.  Nothing about what happened to you was reasonable or fair.  It was not a level-playing field.  A level-playing field involves the concept of fairness where everyone plays by the same set of rules.   Bullying is about power and control.   However, after careful consideration, you took control and you quit the job.  No one should have to put up with abuse.

My suggestion to you is to get out of the comfort of your home and go out and explore what’s outside.  Yes, easier said than done when you just don’t feel like doing it.  The weather is changing, and spring is here.  Go for a walk in your neighborhood or in a local park.  Take a deep breath and breathe the fresh air.  When you go to the grocery store, maybe let someone go in line ahead of you that has less items than you.   Right now, you have time on your hands so why not go out and do something nice for someone else.  Have you ever noticed that a person might say, “Hi, how are you?”  but the person doesn’t wait for an answer.  I like to give an answer and ask the other person, “and, how are you?”  (you have to be quick in replying and asking the question, and you have to mean what you say).  Smiling and saying “Hi” to a stranger just might make their day.  It costs nothing to be nice to someone.  The point is that I want you to go out into the world, and without thinking of your own troubles be kind to someone who may need a “lift” today, and it can be that “Hi, how are you?” with a smile or simply holding the door open for someone else or letting someone go ahead of you in line at the grocery store or the pharmacy.

As long as you stay focused on things that have already happened, and replay the scenarios over and over; you will not be able to move forward with your life.  If you could have done things differently you would have.  Don’t let those toxic abusers get away with another minute of your time.  Get unstuck from thinking that the bullying was caused by anything that you did.  You did nothing wrong.

As you have already done your spring cleaning and spiffed up the house, you can explore other things.  For example:

• Take a class for personal or professional growth or to maintain job skills. 
• Volunteer in your community for a cause or to help others.  Volunteering shows that you are passionate about something, and that you care about others.  It also shows character and integrity.  Volunteer work can also be listed on your résumé.
• Take a temp job.  Try working in a different kind of office or industry that you have normally worked in.  If you feel you aren’t ready for a long job assignment, ask the temp agency for short-term work assignments to ease yourself back into work.
• Make a date with friends and attend an event, and later go out for a nice meal.
• Go for walks, or go for a run, or a bike ride.  Exercise will get those good endorphins going.  Getting in good physical condition will make you feel good about yourself.

The way you are feeling right now is only temporary.  Getting help and/or treatment will help you to feel much better.   Getting help is as close as your telephone.

If you have been under a doctor’s care and found that medication is not helping, talk to your doctor about this.  A doctor can prescribe a different medication.  Always tell your doctor about all the medications that you are taking including over-the-counter medications and supplements.

If you are feeling that you are barely hanging in there and need to talk to someone right now,  please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK or 1-800-273-8255 where you can talk to a skilled, trained counselor now.  The crisis line is available 24-hours a day, 7-days a week.

The American Counseling Association has designated the month of April as “Counseling Awareness Month.”  If you are being bullied at work and are suffering from the health-harming effects of workplace bullying, please get help now.  A mental health professional can help you to cope with what is happening to you at work, and help you to develop strategies to overcome obstacles, and the challenges that you are facing.  It helps to talk to someone who will listen and understand.  Mental health counseling is often covered under your health insurance.  When it is not covered, mental health professionals are often willing to modify their fees based on a sliding scale.  Your mental health is just as important as your physical health.  Often times we think we can handle the stress and anxiety that we are experiencing, but when the abuse is so unrelenting our defenses begin to break down and the abusive work environment begins to affect our health,  the quality of our work, and our relationships with others.  You are important.  Please take good care of yourself.

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.“  … Leo Buscaglia

Sincerely,

Kalola

Everyone knows it is wrong and immoral. It is costly in a million ways. But it is sustained.

You may even have crafted a policy to address the problem, however timidly.

It will NEVER stop unless and until senior leaders say “no, not in my organization.” Why do they resist? Where in their human heart is the lust for cruelty and abuse? You say, they are not bad people. Yet, everyday, they allow the pattern of abuse to continue. They’ve been told, but ignore it or, more likely, spin it as a criticism of one of their favorite buddies. No action is ever taken.

Bullying becomes a crutch for executives too afraid to do the right thing for fear of offending buddies. They may be marketing gurus or genius innovators, but with respect to stopping bullying for the sake of employee health and the long-run fitness of their organizations, they have a blind spot, a pool of incompetence.

Just as bullying masks the aggressor’s personal shortcomings or lack of skill, for executives, indifference toward it masks their inability to deal with tough or controversial problems, their aversion to chaos and conflict, their indifference to needs of non-supervisory workers.

Serious solutions to bullying cannot be undertaken until leaders “get it.” They have to subordinate their buddy relationships (and this is gender neutral, the same goes for women executives) to the good of the company and favor the vast majority of the workers. Call it populist. Call it taking care of the majority upon whom productivity relies. Call it common sense. Call it maturing.

Until the willingness to let go of buddies is reached, all anti-bullying initiatives will be stillborn or ineffective.

Said one former director of a federal agency to us in response to our recommendation that the bully be terminated: “No I won’t do that. He’s a great conversationalist and a lunch buddy.”

As long as this is the American business mantra regarding bullying, targets and companies and government agencies are doomed.

Thanks to Steve Zeltzer for finding this set of facts.

Update: Have a listen to the broadcast!
KPFA-FM

Bullying of city workers and the systemic cover-up of corruption by city managers and executives is costing the city millions of dollars in payments in lawsuits and legal costs. The recent settlement of the case of Dr. Derek Kerr for $750,000 came about because Dr. Kerr and Dr. Rivero of the Laguna Honda Hospital reported financial malfeasance and were retaliated against and fired. Those who engaged in malfeasance are still on the job. This is only one of many instances of the bullying and retaliation against public workers who stand up for the public and our public trust.

At the SF Housing Authority, two lawyers who were whistleblowers over the bullying and malfeasance including illegal rigging of contracts at the agency by the Director Henry Alvarez were recently fired. This came after Mayor Ed Lee appointed a new board of the SF Housing Commission of city insiders. It is time for the bullying and corruption to stop and for accountability and transparency in our public agencies. City workers and the public deserve better.

Speakers
Dr. Derek Kerr
Dr. Maria Rivero
Attorney Ivo Labar who represents Housing Authority
Lawyer Tom Larson

Grupo Presente
Doug Bias Painter SFCWU
Brenda Barros, SEIU 1021 General Hospital
Stacie Plummer, IFPTE Local 21 Richmond Library whistleblower

Other whistleblowers and workers who have been bullied.

Sponsored by
Stop Workplace Bullying Group SWBG
Grupo Presente

United Public Workers For Action www.upwa.info
(415) 867 0628

By Laura Walter
April 9 2013

A few years ago, Maria had never even heard the term “workplace bullying.” But by the time she shared with EHS Today the path her professional life has taken in recent years, she used words like “traumatized,” “powerless,” “hostility,” “retaliation,” “mafia” and “war zone.” All this from a self-described happy, optimistic person who loved her job as a nurse and who never expected to become the target of bullying at work.

“When you love what you do, it doesn’t seem like work,” says Maria, who has been employed in various nursing roles at the same organization for years. (To protect her privacy, Maria’s name and identifying details have been changed.) “I was naïve – I thought everyone in the health care field just cared about people.”

Maria’s problems began when she accepted a management position at another facility within the organization, where she says that as an outsider, she was not well received by the staff. The tension mounted after she reported a staff member for behaving inappropriately with a patient. The worker was fired, which outraged the rest of the employees.

“People just hit the roof,” Maria says. “People think once they’re [in this organization], they have a job for life. They thought, ‘Who is this young woman to get this person terminated?’”

Maria eventually transferred to another facility within the same organization, where she hoped to get a fresh start. What she found, however, was a workplace culture rife with fear and intimidation and where employees banded together in cliques, avoided work and ganged up on other workers. Maria encouraged her staff to work together and put patient care first, but they responded by bullying her, ostracizing her and doing their best to get her transferred or fired.

“Some days I actually feel like I’ve been in this war zone,” says Maria, who has since hired an attorney and filed a whistleblower complaint. “I’ve worked in this hostile environment, all while trying to advocate for those at the bedside … There are some amazing nurses who just want to come to work and provide good patient care, but they don’t have the support [to protect themselves from bullying] that they need.”

The Culture of Bullying

When Maria first typed “workplace bullying” into a search engine to better understand what was happening to her, she found the Workplace Bullying Institute (WBI). WBI defines workplace bullying as repeated, health-harming mistreatment through verbal abuse, offensive conduct or behaviors and/or work interference or sabotage. According to WBI, 35 percent of U.S. workers have experienced workplace bullying firsthand – that translates to more than 53 million people. Workplace bullying is 4 times more prevalent than illegal harassment.

Gary Namie, Ph.D., co-founder of WBI and author of The Bully-Free Workplace, says bullying victims who contact WBI for help typically feel confused, ashamed and defeated.

“They need help,” he says. “They need confidence.”

But too often, companies strive to meet to the needs or understanding of the bully, not the victim. Namie goes so far as to compare workplace bullying with domestic violence, calling the problem “abuse on the payroll.” Just as a domestic violence victim should not be encouraged to “just work it out” with the abuser, workplace bullying victims should not be expected to solve the problem themselves. They need support from the company – support many simply don’t receive.

“No matter what advice we give them, [victims] are up against a mountain of resistance,” Namie explains. “The outcomes are unlikely to be positive just for the nature of this [situation]. We tell them how to try and salvage a shred of dignity and integrity so they can leave in the healthiest way possible if they are going to be driven out.”

He adds that many employers are in denial that bullying is an issue within the work force, or at the least fail to acknowledge the role corporate culture plays in bullying.

“The big mistake we make in America is we individualize it,” he says. “We focus on the bully’s personality, the target’s personality or both. We don’t look at who is perpetuating this [bullying] over time. It’s in the culture. It’s a heavy lift that we’re doing.”

It also is costly. Namie cited turnover costs as a significant consequence of workplace bullying. The best and brightest employees, even in this unstable job market, will reach their limit when bullied. WBI research shows that 77 percent of bullied targets will leave that job – whether because they quit, were terminated or left through a constructive discharge. Workplace bullying also leads to increased workers’ compensation and disability costs.

“It’s very costly to keep the jerk because of the ripple effect of harm they cause everyone else,” Namie says. “You’d think a bottom-line, fiscal-responsibility argument would be powerful [with employers] but unfortunately, we know loyalty to the bully trumps rational fiduciary responsibility.”

Continue reading at EHS Today

It’s a subject made for the movies! But, unlike its depiction in the 2003 film, Anger Management, treatment for anger management issues is very serious business. Haven’t we all been in a work situation where someone loses their temper? Know the employee with a reputation as the “office screamer?” Sometimes it can even be a boss!

While some people may be prone to outbursts of emotion at work, are these incidents simply a reflection of human nature or are they, perhaps, something more serious that an employer must address? Believe it or not, an employee with significant anger issues may be protected by various laws, if that anger is caused by or related to a medical condition.

As is the case with most employment-related disciplinary matters, the answer to the question of how to manage an employee with anger issues is – carefully. Each individual situation requires analysis to assess the issues involved and to determine how an employer should proceed. Are you dealing with the “office bully,” with an employee who consistently loses his or her temper with other employees, customers or clients, or with someone who just has a poor daily demeanor that manifests itself in regular outbursts, perhaps directed at no one in particular? In short, is this just an office bully or someone who has a mental impairment?

Workplace bullying, according to the Workplace Bullying Institute, is “repeated, health-harming mistreatment of one or more persons …one or more perpetrators…in the form of verbal abuse, offensive conduct/behaviors (including nonverbal) which are threatening, humiliating, or intimidating or work interference — sabotage — which prevents work from getting done.” Obviously, this definition covers someone who simply behaves badly in the workplace, but it also may describe the actions of an employee with a more serious, underlying behavioral problem. Employers may not, however, play psychologist/psychiatrist in attempting to assess an individual’s actions. Therein lies the challenge for the employer, as it must make an effort to determine the best, most appropriate way to handle such behavioral issues without placing a “label” upon the employee.

If the incident is one for which discipline is appropriate, a part of that discipline could presumably involve the requirement that the employee get counseling – seems simple and straightforward, right? Maybe not.

Requiring an employee with anger problems to get counseling could trigger certain issues and protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and by the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA). Requiring an employee to obtain counseling could be found to be equivalent to requiring a medical exam. In order for an employer to avoid a violation of the ADAAA, it must demonstrate that such an exam (or counseling) is job-related and that it is a business necessity.

So what do you do with the “office screamer” – the person who doesn’t necessarily become involved in a confrontation with a co-worker or third party, but who has an unpleasant office demeanor that might not otherwise be subject to discipline? While that type of behavior could certainly lead to disciplinary action, a wise employer will want to derail that behavior before it escalates into a disciplinary event. It is possible for an employer – without running afoul of ADAAA regulations – to require that an employee attend a group anger management class. This type of group training can assist the employee in managing his or her interactions in the workplace, without necessarily implying that the employee has a mental impairment.

Anger is a significant workplace and societal issue, and there are professionals who deal specifically with anger management. The basic question, of course, centers around a determination of the source of one’s anger which, in today’s world, can stem from outside forces that ultimately manifest themselves within the workplace. While the majority of employees will not want their personal issues to impact their job situation, some people are unable to prevent that anger from manifesting itself at work. This situation is much more difficult to deal with from an employer’s standpoint. While an employer should be reluctant to delve into an employee’s personal situation, anger left unchecked can have drastic consequences in the workplace. This is an area where an employer would be well advised to proceed with caution and to consult with legal counsel early in the process in order to avoid ending up on the wrong end of an EEOC charge.

###

Sara J. Fagnilli is an attorney with Walter & Haverfield LLP in Cleveland. She is a member of the firm’s labor and employment, municipal law, public law and litigation practice groups.

Dear Kalola,

I am a child abuse survivor with a history of depression and PTSD. Job title: Legislative Director in a full-time state legislature. I report to a Chief/Manager, and the Elected. My second year at this title, sixth year in this field with 18 years total work experience. Ongoing issues for the past year and a half:

1. At all staff meetings that I am supposed to lead, the abusive “supervisor” constantly interrupts, asks trite questions, dismisses and marginalizes. This supervisor is the District Director, thus located 200 miles away, but insists on getting involved in the policy-making. Normally, district directors have more than enough work to do serving the district, so they don’t interfere with policy work. She constantly sends me emails, calls and makes requests for work without paying any attention to who is already assigned to that issue area. She doesn’t know much about politics or policy, and so she asks stupid questions. Worse yet, She doesn’t follow the culture of the Capitol building, and so committee staff, leadership staff often call me to complain about her calling them or having her staff in the district call them. It just isn’t how things are done at the Capitol, but she doesn’t care. She knows she can get away with it. Our Manager simply says things like, well those other offices should just take her calls. I now realize he enables her aggressive behavior and bullying. Also, I recently found out other offices at the capitol have given her a very unflattering nickname because she is a bully.
2. Within two weeks of my hire in July, someone quit in addition to two people who had quit in June, leaving me with most of the work and responsibility.
3. No clear job duty, no clear protocol/structure with no office filing system, etc.
4. The Elected ran for and won higher office. The Elected official committed to me twice (December ’11 and September ’12) for an eight-year gig in the upper house with him, and at seniority, but after the 2012 election my title was demoted to aide thus keeping my salary low at $52,000/year but expecting the same work output. Human Resources (HR) has legislative directors starting at $73,000 a difference of $21,000/year.
5. The workload that was pitched to me along with the lower title and salary has tripled since then, but there are no qualified aides for me to delegate to, so I again, have the highest share of work, most experience of all the staff, but out of balance pay. Examples: Typical bill load for my title is three to four (usually the most difficult bills), but I have seven bills. Typical committee load is one or two, but I have four. I have five years experience, but the next level staffer has only nine months! So, part of my workload is explaining everything to him.
6. Supervisor has yelled at me twice, criticized my work, and threatened to fire me. But has asked me to train the inexperienced person who was given the job I was promised. This is the worst part of this; A social-worker student is going to get the highest level legislative slot in our office, which is the legislative director slot. I’m the Legislative Director but as I said, they demoted my slot to Legislative Aide. This student graduates this May, but has never staffed a bill or a committee (vs. my five years experience). Her degree isn’t even in the same field. She has emailed me asking me to train her over the phone on “bills, policy, the legislative process, etc.” It takes people several years to master legislation and policy work, if they ever do. Plus, she will only have one committee to work on, but she gets a higher title and salary than me!

My Manager allows me to be blamed, yelled at, and treated in this manner. He told me that he tried to advocate on my behalf to the Elected back in November when it became clear I was to be demoted, etc., but my Manager was yelled at by the Elected.

I’ve spoken to trusted colleagues who all give me the same advice: Get out now. And, now you know why all those people left. I am the third legislative director this elected and his chief have had.

Now, with the Elected and Supervisor disrespecting me, all the other staff are in no danger of retaliation for doing the same, and they do. The Manager is powerless, too. He tells me to come to him if there’s a problem, but then doesn’t do anything to address it.

When I tried to be assertive to the Manager about my workload, I was told to manage my mood better, to suck up to the Supervisor since she is in very tight with the elected. When I softly confronted the Elected about his change on his commitment to me, he told me to think about whether I should even work there.

I complained to HR, but was told to act superior until I find another job. They didn’t care how I was being treated, and just said everything is the Elected’s discretion.

I had been looking for two months already! No job offer from the two interviews I had. There is strong competition in my field. My Elected Boss is also basing access to him for meetings on the campaign for his election to this higher office position: If the requester of a meeting backed his opponent, he rejects their request. I’ve even watched him tell someone that he wouldn’t shake their hand (which I found out later was because that person didn’t come through on a campaign promise, money.) Sometimes his refusal to take meetings leaves me to have to take the meetings, in addition to all the other work. I’m also noticing that my Elected Boss isn’t respected by his colleagues. He literally embarrasses me. While I staff him at briefings, etc, I can see his colleagues rolling there eyes, and occasionally cutting him off when he starts rambling. As a professional with a good reputation/references, I know I need to get away from his “stink.” But, I became extremely worried that it’s too late. The legislative year is already in motion, and the economy is still pretty bad here.

I have fallen into a deep depression, had anxiety attacks, felt trapped, hopeless, and thus had triggers of my PTSD. The last time the Supervisor sent me a nasty email, I started shaking and felt like I was going to pass out. I work such long hours that I don’t get relief by having time to spend with friends. I don’t have anyone, and I’m worried about sucking their patience dry with my need for validation about my toxic job. My depression worsened to a severe point, but I’ve sought help. I went to a psychologist, and was referred into an intensive outpatient program and was approved to go on medical leave.

I am scheduled to return to work soon, only part-time on recommendation of my doctor allowing for continued treatment, but I am scared. When I left the initial outpatient program, I thought I could go back and be assertive and tell my boss there are three options:  Option 1—I am Legislative Director, I have the workload and the experience, so my salary must reflect that. Or, Option 2—I need my workload reduced with a minor salary increase. Or, Option 3— The imbalance/bullying isn’t addressed, so I give resignation.

However, I am seriously considering to just go back and quit immediately. Not only do I have no confidence that they will change anything, but I suspect they are fully expecting to slam me with work when I return. I feel a strong injustice, and I know I am better than this office. My health has been so adversely affected, and I know I have weeks of treatment just to get back to where I was last summer. My case manager seemed okay with my conclusion that I might need to quit, but my psychologist wasn’t as supportive. I feel paralyzed. I guess I either need to hear it’s okay to quit.  I can survive on savings for four month or get experienced advice on how to pull off this superior attitude until I find another job. That could be four months, too, but it could be a year or more.

Legislative Staffer

Dear Legislative Staffer,

As you have learned, politicians often make campaign promises that they don’t keep.  Some politicians are so well known for breaking campaign promises that the media and other groups now keep scorecards on promises kept and promises that are broken by certain politicians.

During the Legislator’s campaign for a seat in the upper house of the state legislature, he promised that you would continue to be his Legislative Director at the State Capitol.  Instead, after the election, he demoted you to the position of Legislative Aide.  With a lower job title and salary, you find that your job duties remain unchanged while your workload has increased.  To add insult to injury,  you are now expected to train an intern/fellow who upon graduation and at the end of her internship/fellowship will be assigned the job that had been promised to you.  Under any other circumstances, training this intern would have been called “mentoring”.

The District Director at the home office of the Legislator is inexperienced and expecting you to explain matters that you feel she should already know.  During staff meetings via telephone conferencing, the District Director constantly interrupts you and is dismissive making you feel marginalized. The District Director e-mails you and calls you often.  By flooding you with requests, you are unable to get work done.  This abusive conduct is being used to undermine you, and to set you up for failure.

As a legislative staffer you are an exempt employee and not under civil service rules.  You are an at-will employee.  The Human Resources Department appears correct in saying that the Legislator (via the State Legislature’s Rules Committee) determines your employment.  Legislators, in your state, have broad powers to hire whomever they wish.

When you had a discussion with the Legislator about his change in his commitment or promise to you, he told you to think about whether you should even work there.  By putting things back on you, he can deny responsibility if you leave.

Before becoming a state legislative staffer, you reveal that you already had a history of depression and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).   Working for a state legislator at the State Capitol is a high-pressure job in a dynamic environment with many demands.  My concern for you is that staying in an abusive work environment, where you are clearly unhappy, is not good for your physical and mental health.   Because the abusive conduct is coming from the top down, I can’t see that what you are experiencing will change.

You wanted affirmation that it was okay to quit your job.  Ultimately, you are solely responsible for your own decisions that affect your life and career.  When you make this decision you must be at peace with yourself that you have made the right decision for yourself, and then go forward.  However, the answer to your question can be found within the last paragraph of your letter which says:  “Not only do I have no confidence that they will change anything, but I suspect they are fully expecting to slam me with work when I return.  I feel a strong injustice, and I know I am better than this office.  My health has been so adversely affected, and I know I have weeks of treatment just to get back to where I was last summer.”

Because of your health issues, you will need health insurance.  If you quit your job, ask if you are eligible for COBRA continuation health insurance coverage.  You have an emergency fund that will cover you for four months.  Many times workers have no emergency fund and live from paycheck to paycheck so you are luckier than most workers.  Because things happen in life, I cannot emphasize more the importance of having an emergency fund.

You have already begun to look for another job.  The question is do you want to continue to work within the state legislature?  If you are too vocal about the way you have been treated to others, you will only hurt your career.   People talk.  A worker can be easily blacklisted within their industry.   Once this happens, it can be very difficult to regain one’s credibility or reputation in the particular industry.  Should you find another job within the state legislature, you may need to call on the very people that you have talked about.  Be careful to not burn your bridges.

In response to your itemized list in your letter:

1. Discuss this issue with your Chief of Staff/Manager.  Tell him that you are unable to field all of the questions asked by the District Director.  Persuade your Chief of Staff that he has so much more knowledge and experience, and that you believe the District Director might feel more comfortable in discussing issues with him rather than with you.  Remind your Manager of all the work that needs to be done at his office at the State Capitol.  If the work doesn’t get done it will reflect on him.  The District Director runs the District Office.  Each manager is responsible for their assigned office.
2. Vacancies can occur at any time.  Yes, that puts the burden of the work on those staff members remaining on the job until those vacant positions are filled.
 
3. Although you are now working in the upper house of the State Legislature there must be some similarities in job duties of a legislative director or aide that you brought with you from working in the lower house with the same Legislator.  If there is no filing system someone will need to take the initiative.  Perhaps, you can give basic direction or guidelines to one of your less experienced co-workers based on how files were set up when you worked in the lower house.  Try to be helpful to your co-workers who work in your office at the State Capitol.  There is a difference between being helpful and doing another person’s work.  You must be able to trust that the less seasoned worker can do the work.  With time and experience, and as they catch on to the pace of life at the State Capitol,  you will find that these staffers can and will do their jobs.
 
4. Promises made while the Legislator was running for office are not always kept.  Eight years is equivalent to two terms of office in your state, that is, if the Legislator wins re-election.  Had the Legislator lost the election, you would have also been seeking another job. There are no guarantees that a state legislator will win a second term in office.  As for the demotion, you took a hefty salary cut while you are still expected to do the same work if not more.
5. When assisting your co-workers, please remember that you were once an unseasoned staffer.  Staffers need to help each other.  In a short time, the unseasoned staffer will be carrying his/her fair share of the workload.   One can be helpful in giving clear and basic information; above that you are not responsible for as learning will come with time and experience.  Please be kind to your fellow co-workers.  If you are not friendly, and if you are unwilling to be somewhat helpful you might well imagine the names these co-workers will be calling you behind your back.
 
6. Again, no one should be yelling at you or others.  Everyone should behave in a professional manner.  Yes, it is very unfair that you have been demoted and are now expected to train the person who you believe will be getting the position that you were promised. In training the intern, just tell the intern the basics of what they will need to know.  Be sure to give the intern some on-line resources that they can refer to.  Let the intern know that your time is very limited, and that you have little time to spend with her on the telephone.  Be kind, and tell the intern that you wish you had more time to spend with her but you are overwhelmed due to staff vacancies and your own job responsibilities.  Perhaps, the intern could come to the State Capitol office and shadow either you or the Legislator for a day.  It would not be possible for anyone to teach the intern everything that she will need to know as that will come with time and experience.
 

Abusive conduct occurs when good workers are targeted/bullied for no good reason except to annoy, harass, intimidate or humiliate.  The District Director has yelled at you, criticized you, and threatened to fire you.  She reports to the Legislator who reneged on his promise to you.  The Legislator has also yelled at you, and put it on you to think about whether you should work there.  Your Manager attempted to advocate on your behalf with the Legislator, but was unable to keep you from being demoted, blamed, yelled at, and from being treated badly.

From Drs. Gary and Ruth Namie’s book, The Bully-Free Workplace:  Stop Jerks, Weasels, and Snakes From Killing Your Organization:  “Bullying at work is easily distinguished from ‘tough management’  by asking ‘what has this got to do with work?’  Bullying will always be used to advance a manager’s personal agenda—rendering the target subservient, humiliating a person in front of his team—rather than about getting work done.  Bullying actually prevents work from getting done; it’s interference.  Bullying undermines the government agency’s mission and erodes a corporation’s profits.”

A December 18, 2012 article in the National Conference of State Legislatures states Legislative Staff Not Doing it For the Money.  An excerpt from the article:  “We witness their (legislative staffers) high level of competence, skill, knowledge, education and experience.  We are also inspired by their remarkable level of engagement, dedication, and loyalty to their work and to the legislative institution.  And, we know that for many, if not most legislative staff, salary increases and promotions that slowed down or stopped four or five years ago have been slow to return.  Yet legislative staff seem to carry on, bringing their talent and passion to each new legislative session.”

Here is a great article written by Amy Rees Anderson:  Great Employees Are Not Replaceable.  An excerpt:  “Companies need to be very thoughtful when making decisions around compensation for their employees.  To deny a reasonable increase to a top performer in the organization can be a very costly mistake.  To try and hire a replacement for a great employee will inevitably cost the organization significantly more money when they take into account the starting wage required in their attempt to “hire up,” not including the cost in time and money to train a replacement and get them up to full production, as well as the opportunity cost of having created a gap in the institutional knowledge of the business.”

What happened to you was not fair.  The way the legislator and his top managers are treating you is reprehensible, but not illegal.  Why do bullies bully?  They bully because they can.  And, yes, there ought to be a law.  Healthy Workplace Advocates in your state have been advocating for an anti-bullying Healthy Workplace Bill for several years.

Please take good care of your health, and I hope that things get better for you.  You deserve respect, and to be acknowledged for the work that you do.

Sincerely,

Kalola



]]> http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/04/09/talk-20/feed/ 0 http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/04/09/hre/ http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/04/09/hre/#comments Tue, 09 Apr 2013 15:00:18 +0000 admin http://www.workplacebullying.org/?p=11812 By Larry Keller, Human Resources Executive, Nov. 21, 2012

Researchers at the University of Sheffield and the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom have released results of three separate surveys of employees questioned at several universities which find that about 80 percent of the 320 respondents said they had experienced work-related cyberbullying at least once in the previous six months, and 14 to 20 percent of them said this happened to them at least once a week.

The findings have serious implications for HR professionals. Cyberbullying can result in lower employee morale, higher turnover and absenteeism, and damage to a company’s reputation if the practice is visible to a vast audience on the Internet, the researchers say. It also raises questions as to whether existing HR policies adequately address the behavior.

“A key issue . . . is to raise awareness of the impact of cyberbehavior — to prevent it [from] happening — or escalating,” says Carolyn Axtell, senior lecturer at the University of Sheffield’s Institute of Work Psychology and one of the authors of the study. “Due to the lack of social and physical cues online, people are less aware, and therefore less considerate about the other person’s reaction. Organizations could . . . set norms and expectations about online behavior — what is considered acceptable and what isn’t.”

Many do not, however. New York-based Proskauer recently released its second annual worldwide survey of social media in the workplace and found that 69 percent of nearly 250 multinational businesses had social-media policies, but only one-third of them provided training in the appropriate use of social media. The survey didn’t address how many of those social-media policies specifically include cyberbullying.

“Businesses are grappling with a medium that encourages informal and irreverent communications that are essentially permanent and have the potential to spread like wildfire,” the report states.

But workplace cyberbullying hasn’t been a hot topic among Society for Human Resource Management members who call the organization’s Knowledge Center for advice, says Margaret Fiester, the center’s operations manager. “It doesn’t seem to be on people’s radar here,” she says. …

Bennet Alsher, a partner with FordHarrison, an Atlanta-based labor and employment law firm, says employers can incorporate cyberbullying in their social-media policies — if they have one — and have a separate harassment policy that references the social-media rules. Social-media complaints are tricky, however, as employers have to be responsive to employee complaints while also being careful not to violate their privacy rights, he says.
“It’s really quite a conundrum for employers,” he adds.

Overly broad language in a social media policy can put it at odds with the National Labor Relations Act, Alsher warns. But, doing nothing is not an option, because employers are required to promptly and effectively respond to harassing behavior. …

There is agreement that HR executives should have an employee education and awareness program explaining what sorts of social media communications are inappropriate, and proceed carefully when they receive a cyberbullying complaint.
“I think the key is to start out with an effective, well-crafted social media policy,” Alsher says. “Evaluate each case on a case-by-case basis. Get the facts. Do your due diligence. Don’t rush to judgment. Get legal advice.”
…

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To read the full article.



]]> http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/04/09/hre/feed/ 0 http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/04/08/erie/ http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/04/08/erie/#comments Mon, 08 Apr 2013 18:08:58 +0000 admin http://www.workplacebullying.org/?p=12371 By Ashley Doerzbacher
April 5, 2013

Many people think of kids when they hear the word ‘bullying,’ but it turns out, it can continue way past the school yard, and carry over into the work place.

Morrison Foerster, a law firm in New York, has looked into workplace bullying, and said that it is on the rise. The main reason, they say is power.

The Rutgers University basketball program is one public example to look at. We first reported on this earlier this week. Former coach Mike Rice was fired after videos surfaced of him throwing basketballs at players, and even and pushing them. Now, the university has cleaned house, letting the assistant coach and athletic director also go.

Sharon Parella, of Morrison Foerster, spoke with an Dr. Gary Namie, an expert on workplace bullying, and he says it’s all about gaining power.

“They see what gets other people ahead, they see a path toward reinforcement, themselves to gain status, stature, career enhancement and they take it,” said Dr. Naime, of Workplace Bullying Institute. “[It's] Not necessarily about money. Status, position, all the goodies in the workplace that they desire go to the highly aggressive person.”

Dr. Namie said that bullying crosses over gender, race and ethnicity, but that men bully more than women do, even though women are targeted more than men.

Link to original article

]]> http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/04/08/erie/feed/ 0 http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/04/08/kc-2/ http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/04/08/kc-2/#comments Mon, 08 Apr 2013 17:40:30 +0000 Dr. Gary Namie http://www.workplacebullying.org/?p=12367 Workplace bullying topic of law seminar by Cathy Jett, The Free Lance-Star
Fredericksburg, VA

Kaufman & Canoles law firm will hold its 29th Annual Employment Law Update on April 11 in the Greater Richmond Convention Center.

Speakers will include Darrell Graham, the new area director of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s Richmond office, and Gary Namie, a nationally recognized expert in workplace bullying.

Namie co-authored “The Bully-Free Workplace” and “The Bully At Work,” and has discussed the topic numerous times on network TV.

The day-long program will begin with registration and breakfast at 8:30 a.m., and include talks on such topics and practical do’s and don’ts of hiring with an emphasis on avoiding discrimination claims in the hiring process, reducing the risk of violence in the workplace and employee discipline and discharge.

The fee for the program is $345 for the first registrant for each company and $325 for each additional registrant. To register, contact Julia Rhody at 804/771-5722 or 757/624-3232 or go visit kaufcan.com.

]]> http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/04/08/kc-2/feed/ 0 http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/04/08/wbi-ip/ http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/04/08/wbi-ip/#comments Mon, 08 Apr 2013 16:58:09 +0000 Dr. Gary Namie http://www.workplacebullying.org/?p=12359
]]> http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/04/08/wbi-ip/feed/ 0 http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/04/04/allison-taylor-press-release/ http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/04/04/allison-taylor-press-release/#comments Thu, 04 Apr 2013 16:22:09 +0000 admin http://www.workplacebullying.org/?p=12333 As many of you know, we have often recommended Allison & Taylor’s reference checking service to Targets as they search for a new job. A recent press release details their efforts to help workplace bullying Here’s an excerpt:

---

Some suggest that bullying victims are simply people who “can’t take the pressure” at work. Not so, says Jeff Shane, Vice President of Allison & Taylor Reference Checking, a firm that offers “Cease & Desist letters to stop workplace bullying. “Bullying has become an unpleasant fact of life in too many workplace environments. What makes it especially insidious is that it often continues even after someone has left a job, with the bully continuing to make their life difficult by them a poor reference to a prospective employer.”

Workplace bullying tactics can range from derogatory comments to public humiliation or physical abuse; in any event, they unquestionably lead to decreased workplace productivity. Victims may experience a loss of confidence, debilitating anxiety, panic attacks, clinical depression and even physical illnesses.

Central to the issue is the fact that management or supervisors are the most common offenders, and their bullying actions leave the recipient in a difficult employment position. Since many bullies are operating in accordance with a company’s “standard practices”, victims often speculate that they may deserve the criticisms, or they are simply too embarrassed, reluctant or fearful to confront the harasser.

If you are the victim and you’re unwilling or unable to effect a change in the workplace, leaving the position and looking for a more positive environment may be your best choice. However, be certain that your former employer’s negative feedback does not hinder your efforts to find a more suitable work environment.

“A large number of the references we check are in response to workplace bullying”, says Shane. “People feel traumatized and helpless in the face of mistreatment. They’re also worried that the negative feedback they’re receiving in their current job will carry over into a negative reference, and disrupt their ability to secure future employment.”

Fortunately, there is recourse available for such grim scenarios. Allison & Taylor reference checking provides a service whereby an employee can find out exactly what someone is saying about them to a prospective new employer. If a workplace bully is speaking out of turn when responding to an employment inquiry, employees can exercise the option of a Cease & Desist letter or pursue more substantive legal action. Such tools will help ensure that the transgressor will stop their actions out of fear of corporate reprisal.
“The dilemma of workplace bullying is often made worse by the feeling that nothing can be done to alleviate it,” says Shane, “but that’s not true. A person can, and should, take steps to improve or protect their employment situation.”

To find out more about workplace bullying and the steps you can take to prevent or eliminate it, please visit http://www.allisontaylor.com

###

About AllisonTaylor:

AllisonTaylor and its principals have been in the business of checking references for corporations and individuals since 1984. AllisonTaylor is headquartered in Rochester, Mich. For further details on services and procedures please visit http://www.allisontaylor.com/.



]]> http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/04/04/allison-taylor-press-release/feed/ 0 http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/04/03/concord-monitor/ http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/04/03/concord-monitor/#comments Wed, 03 Apr 2013 16:00:51 +0000 admin http://www.workplacebullying.org/?p=12322 By Tricia L. Nadolny

Two former state employees have claimed in a lawsuit they were bullied by a supervisor after reporting that she regularly took paid two-hour lunch breaks. Sandra Miner of Pittsfield and Carla Haase of Concord say they complained about the abuse to officials at the state’s Department of Health and Human Services, but nothing was done.

The harassment – which they describe as being carried out by their supervisor Lisa Derepentigny as well as a “clique” in the office – was so intense that both women suffered severe emotional distress and took early retirement, they claim in a lawsuit filed at Merrimack County Superior Court.

A department spokeswoman and Derepentigny both declined to comment. The lawyer handling the suit at the attorney general’s office did not return a message left yesterday.

The women, until they left their positions in summer 2012, were employed by the Division of Child Support Services, where they worked under Derepentigny. That supervisor, as well as her “clique of favored employees,” regularly took lunch breaks that were three to four times what was allowed, according to the suit.

The women reported the long lunch breaks, which they said constituted the misuse of taxpayers’ money, several times to officials, including the department’s ombudsman, the suit says.

According to the suit, Derepentigny made it clear to her employees that she did not allow dissent and had signs hanging in her office that read “Shock me, say something intelligent” and “You are entitled to my opinion.”

In June 2012, Derepentigny learned that the women had made the report and called a mandatory meeting where the women say she threatened that if they complained again she would punish them for being even a minute late for their shifts.

“Following this meeting, Ms. Derepentigny began to bully both of the plaintiffs, frequently accusing them of insubordination and/or failure to do their job, sending them threatening emails, ostracizing them and piling unreasonable amounts of work on them to set them up for failure, complete with impossibly short deadlines,” the lawsuit says.

The women are being represented by Concord attorneys Jason Major and Chuck Douglas.

Haase, a 30-year employee of the state who had worked for Health and Human Services for 15 years, resigned in June 2012 after she said she began to fear coming to work.

According to the lawsuit, Derepentigny then turned her attention to Miner, who at one point was treated for anxiety and was told by her doctor to take several weeks off work.

“When Miner returned from her first anxiety-related leave, Ms. Derepentigny was on her case within 15 minutes of her return, calling her to a meeting where she appeared so angry and vengeful that
. . . Miner feared she would be struck by Ms. Derepentigny,” the lawsuit says.

The harassment was then initiated by others in the office, who shunned Miner and accused her of being “not-normal” because she suffered from migraine headaches, according to the lawsuit.

Miner, who worked in the department for more than 11 years, took early retirement in September 2012.

The lawsuit accuses the state of wrongful termination, saying officials did nothing to stop the abuse that ultimately forced the women to retire, and violation of the Whistleblower Protection Act, saying the women were discriminated against for reporting what they saw as misuse of taxpayer dollars.

“They reported what they, in good faith, believed was wrongdoing and mismanagement of state funds,” Major said. “The woman was supposed to be working and she was taking these long lunches. They reported that in good faith and were retaliated against for it.”

The lawsuit is seeking financial damages including payment for lost wages, loss of retirement benefits and compensation for emotional distress as well as attorneys’ fees.

The suit was filed in December. Derepentigny is still employed by the state.

Link to original article

]]> http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/04/03/concord-monitor/feed/ 0 http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/04/03/dy-2/ http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/04/03/dy-2/#comments Wed, 03 Apr 2013 13:00:29 +0000 admin http://www.workplacebullying.org/?p=12329 David Yamada, author of the Healthy Workplace Bill has a draft of another important legal essay on workplace bullying.

Here is a link to his announcement for the upcoming publication.



]]> http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/04/03/dy-2/feed/ 0 http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/04/02/iycommunity/ http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/04/02/iycommunity/#comments Tue, 02 Apr 2013 20:59:26 +0000 admin http://www.workplacebullying.org/?p=12317 Host WDVD-FM Detroit radio host Vanessa Denha Garmo interviewed Dr. Gary Namie for her show on March 31, 2013. They talked about the history of WBI, the Healthy Workplace Bill, and solutions for individuals and employers.

Vanessa Denha-Garmo

Here’s a link to the show’s page.

]]> http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/04/02/iycommunity/feed/ 0 http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/04/02/approaches/ http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/04/02/approaches/#comments Tue, 02 Apr 2013 15:00:29 +0000 admin http://www.workplacebullying.org/?p=11807 Let’s assume your organization (Executive Team, HR and Legal) WANT to stop bullying. One of the first questions the group must answer is whether or not you jump in with both feet or move more slowly. Here are the pros and cons of each approach.

Advantages of incremental steps

- avoids culture shock, minimizes resistance
- cheaper
- is compatible with style of most corporate decision makers

Disadvantages

- while the organization dithers, preventable bullying continues to drive out competent workers and harm the health of those who cannot escape
- raising awareness with a only a seminar risks raising expectations of staff that more is being done by the organization
- offenders use the interim to solidify personal support so that when a policy is created, executive sponsors will not allow it to apply to their favorite bully
- talk without taking preventive or corrective steps conveys the wrong message to employees

Advantages of a comprehensive (The Work Doctor Blueprint) approach

- no announcement until the supporting pieces are all in place
- optimizes coordination of the integrated pieces of the program
- provides the rationale for disciplining known bullies
- provides the impersonal reason to terminate once-favorite bullies
- creates the infrastructure for continuity for the initiative that survives changes in executives

Disadvantages
- the difficulty of gaining buy-in from individuals who benefit from the present system
- it will stop the bullying that has become a seemingly indispensable part of your organizational culture



]]> http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/04/02/approaches/feed/ 0 http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/04/01/wbu-3/ http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/04/01/wbu-3/#comments Mon, 01 Apr 2013 18:59:02 +0000 Dr. Gary Namie http://www.workplacebullying.org/?p=12313 It’s time for the next quarterly training for professionals, the unique Workplace Bullying University® created and delivered by the Drs. Namie, WBI founders. Small group 3-day immersion in the research and all aspects of the phenomenon. Join us!

May 10-12 in Bellingham, WA
Tuition fee discounts available, enroll by April 10 to guarantee your seat

Participants come from a variety of disciplines
• Healthcare – physicians, nurse leaders, counselors, psychologists
• Legal
• Management & HR
• Consultants & Trainers

Program details at the University website.



]]> http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/04/01/wbu-3/feed/ 0 http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/03/29/2013-ip-d/ http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/03/29/2013-ip-d/#comments Fri, 29 Mar 2013 19:11:47 +0000 Dr. Gary Namie http://www.workplacebullying.org/?p=12227 THE TIMING & RESULTS OF TARGETS
CONFRONTING BULLIES AT WORK
WBI 2013-D Instant Poll


Individuals unfamiliar with details of the workplace bullying phenomenon but who declare themselves workplace experts suggest or insist that workers targeted for bullying directly confront their assailants. In a large-sample 2012 survey [WBI-2012-Strategies Effectiveness], 70% of 1,600 individuals said they attempted to confront their bully. The torment ended in only 3.5% of situations. Confrontation was ineffective.

This 2013 Instant Poll survey investigated whether the timing of a confrontation would affect effectiveness. WBI Instant Polls are online single-question surveys that rely upon self-selected samples of individuals bullied at work (typically 98% of any sample). No demographic data are collected. Our non-scientific Instant Polls accurately depict the perceptions of workers targeted for bullying at work as contrasted with the views of all adult Americans in our scientific national surveys.

We asked 554 target-respondents to answer the following question.

For bullied targets only. When did you confront your bully, telling her or him that the abusive conduct was unacceptable to you?

Percentages of each response were:

.312 I never confronted my bully directly

This meant that 68.8% of respondents (n=381) did confront their bully, matching the percentage of targets who reported confronting their bullies in the 2012 study.



Because respondents could make only one choice, those who chose the responses below represented a sub-sample independent of those who reported that they never confronted. Subsequent percentages were based on the group of 381.

.021 Immediately during the first incident and the bullying stopped

.228 Immediately but the bullying worsened

.021 Early in the process within weeks, but not immediately and it stopped the bullying

.315 Early in the process within weeks but it did not stop the bullying

.024 Much later, several months after the bullying started, and it stopped

.391 Several months later but it did not stop the bullying



Of those targets who did confront, the majority (42%) waited until several months later. Another 34% confronted within weeks and 25% of targets immediately confronted their bullies. Regardless of the time targets chose to confront, the assertive acts failed to stop the bullying. The overall failure rate was 93%. On those rare occasions when targets were able to stop their bullies, the rate did not exceed 2% despite timing of the confrontation.

Conclusion

The results of this study conformed with the prior larger sample study — approximately 70% of targets actually do confront their bullies. Most targets procrastinate and wait until months after the onset of bullying. Despite traditional advice telling bullied targets to confront, suggesting that rational abusers will stop when faced with resistance from their targets, the reality is that confrontations by targets do not and cannot stop bullies and the bullying.

Gary Namie, PhD
Research Director, WBI

Do not use any of the above findings without properly citing the source as the Workplace Bullying Institute.

© 2013, WBI, All rights reserved.

Download a copy of this report.



]]> http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/03/29/2013-ip-d/feed/ 0 http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/03/28/shrm-2/ http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/03/28/shrm-2/#comments Thu, 28 Mar 2013 21:59:47 +0000 Dr. Gary Namie http://www.workplacebullying.org/?p=12278 When fuzzy facts (first generation distortion) are allowed to pass for actual data and circulated widely by media (2nd gen distortion) they used by critics to undermine the anti-bullying campaign. Let’s clear the air about current American employer engagement in stopping workplace bullying.

SHRM (the HR trade association) conducted a 2011 study about workplace bullying and reported results in Feb. 2012. The non-scientific survey of members had a low response rate of 15% (the final 401 respondents meant SHRM randomly polled 2,673 members). The results shed light on HR’s view about the prevalence of workplace bullying policies in the U.S. When asked if respondents’ organizations had specific anti-bullying policies in place, 44% of HR respondents defiantly stated their organization has “no policy and has no plans to put a workplace bullying policy in place.” The answer, “No, but we plan to put a formal policy in place in the next 12 months,” was chosen by 13%. Another 40% said, “Yes, our workplace bullying policy is part of another workplace policy.” Only 3% of SHRM members said “Yes. We have a separate workplace bullying policy” in our organization.


Actual slide from 2012 SHRM survey results from which 56% statistic was plucked


You can download the slide show from here.


Also in 2012, WBI surveyed HR’s customers, employees desperate to have protective policies enforced by HR when they needed them. And those bullied target-customers told us that indeed 3% of employers have adequate anti-bullying policies, perfectly matching the HR view. Targets even credit some “Respect” policies as effective deterrents to bullying (an additional 2.5% of employers). So, bullied targets say, at most, 5.5% of employers are doing the right thing [WBI 2012-IP-B].

Based on their survey results, SHRM should have said that clearly 3% of employers are directly addressing bullying and stopped there. Those in the 40% group were most likely referring to protections against a “hostile work environment,” which is part of anti-discrimination laws and policies compliant with those laws. But sophisticated HR types know that most bullying has no basis in protected group status even though “hostile work environment” sounds like a good description of bullying. Those policies apply in only 20% of bullying cases [2007 WBI US Workplace Bullying Survey]. Common, but ill-formed, “wisdom” posits that anti-discrimination laws and policies are adequate to stop bullying. They are mostly inapplicable (we could estimate 8% of employers correctly adding bullying to discrimination policies (40% x 20% of cases). Accuracy demands that HR know better the limits of the civil rights laws.

The overestimation of policy prevalence begins with inclusion of the 40% rather than 8%. Then, SHRM also counts the 13% of respondents who said they did NOT have a policy, but were thinking about it. Really? So, the falsehood grows. 53% of so-called policies probably do not exist at all. When the 3% of employers with real and effective policies, as confirmed by users of HR systems, are added to the imaginary, wished-for 53% of employers, SHRM arrived at the mind-boggling statistic that 56% of U.S. employers already have anti-bullying policies. At most, using SHRM’s data, a maximum of 11% of employers have bullying policies.

This whopping 56% distortion comes directly from SHRM’s deliberate misinterpretation of their own 2012 study results. You can download the study results here. It’s the first generation version of the lie.

Then, SHRM repeated the fantasy 56% prevalence number to Associated Press for a story on workplace bullying (March 1, 2013) that was picked up nationwide. The AP spread the lie, making it a 2nd generation distortion.

That AP article also featured our work to enact anti-bullying legislation in the states, to pass the Healthy Workplace Bill (HWB). We need a law to incentivize employers to stop bullying because they are not doing it voluntarily. HR’s recklessly indifferent treatment of bullied targets prevents adequate employer responses to bullying.

Opponents to our proposed legislation in the states have whined that employers should be given a chance to act voluntarily and rationally. After all, bullying is costly and counterproductive. Despite this reality, employers mostly ignore bullying. Corporate defense firms are the staunchest critics of the bill, but do advise their clients to create policies and stop bullying nevertheless.

When critics read the SHRM-provided 56% of all employers have policies, they might conclude that laws really are unnecessary. Historically, SHRM opposes the HWB. Their deliberate distortion of their own survey results further clarifies their support for management in case there ever was ambiguity about the role of HR.



]]> http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/03/28/shrm-2/feed/ 1 http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/03/28/fast-company/ http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/03/28/fast-company/#comments Thu, 28 Mar 2013 15:00:03 +0000 admin http://www.workplacebullying.org/?p=11805 In a recent article for Fast Company, Brené Brown proposes 3 Ways To Kill Your Company’s Idea-Stifling Shame Culture. The article is about how shame at work kills innovation and it’s worth a read. The excerpt below shows specifically how workplace bullying and the shame that comes with it stops companies from thriving.

Recognizing and Combating Shame

Shame–the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love and belonging–breeds fear. It crushes our tolerance for vulnerability, thereby killing engagement, innovation, creativity, productivity, and trust. And worst of all, if we don’t know what we’re looking for, shame can ravage our organizations before we see one outward sign of a problem.

A stroll through an office or a school won’t necessarily reveal a shame problem. Or at least we hope it’s not that obvious. If it is–if we see a manager berating an employee or a teacher shaming a student–the problem is already acute and more than likely has been happening for a long time. In most cases, though, we have to know what we’re looking for when we assess an organization for signs that shame may be an issue.

Blaming, gossiping, favoritism, name-calling, and harassment are all behavior cues that shame has permeated a culture. A more obvious sign is when shame becomes an outright management tool. Is there evidence of people in leadership roles bullying others, criticizing subordinates in front of colleagues, delivering public reprimands, or setting up reward systems that intentionally belittle, shame, or humiliate people?

A Bully In The Office

The Workplace Bullying Institute (WBI) defines bullying as “Repeated mistreatment: sabotage by others that prevented work from getting done, verbal abuse, threatening conduct, intimidation, and humiliation.” A 2010 poll conducted by Zogby International for WBI reported that an estimated 54 million American workers (37 percent of the US workforce) have been bullied at work. Furthermore, another WBI report revealed that 52.5 percent of the time, bullied workers reported that employers basically did nothing to stop the bullying.

When we see shame being used as a management tool (again, that means bullying, criticism in front of colleagues, public reprimands, or reward systems that intentionally belittle people), we need to take direct action because it means that we’ve got an infestation on our hands. And we need to remember that this doesn’t just happen overnight. Equally important to keep in mind is that shame is like the other “sh” word. Like shit, shame rolls downhill. If employees are constantly having to navigate shame, you can bet that they’re passing it on to their customers, students, and families.

Shame can only rise so far in any system before people disengage to protect themselves. When we’re disengaged, we don’t show up, we don’t contribute, and we stop caring. On the far end of the spectrum, disengagement allows people to rationalize all kinds of unethical behavior including lying, stealing, and cheating.



]]> http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/03/28/fast-company/feed/ 1 http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/03/27/nyspa/ http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/03/27/nyspa/#comments Wed, 27 Mar 2013 21:43:20 +0000 Dr. Gary Namie http://www.workplacebullying.org/?p=12263
The New York State Psychological Association
Organizational, Consulting, and Work (OCW) Psychology Division
hosts
Bullying In and Out of the Workplace and Other Organizations:
Psychological & Legal Perspectives on Prevention, Intervention, & Amelioration


Sunday April 28 – 10 am to 4 pm
John Jay College of Criminal Justice of CUNY
Tenth Ave. at 59th St., NYC


This conference brings together two Keynote National Experts on workplace bullying (WB) and a broad range of leaders and advocates in the psychology, conflict resolution, law, and business communities. I/O psychologists, private practice psychologists working with individuals experiencing WB related anxiety, depression, and/or PTSD symptoms, forensic psychologists doing WB assessment/evaluation and consulting, conflict resolution professionals, and managers and human resources professionals dealing with organizational stress and change will find ways to enhance their understanding and skills.
Co-sponsors
CUNY Dispute Resolution Center at John Jay College
NYSPA’s Independent Practice, Forensic, Psychoanalysis & Women’s Issues Divisions
Manhattan Psychological Association
Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues


Keynote Speakers

Gary Namie, PhD
Founder and Director of the Workplace Bullying Institute
Social psychologist viewed as North America’s #1 authority on WB, and author, together with
Ruth Namie, PhD, of “The Bully-Free Workplace” and “The Bully At Work”. He has taught management and psychology courses at the university level for more than 21 years and directs the only U.S. research and education organization dedicated to workplace bullying.

David Yamada, JD
Foremost Legal Expert and Author of the Healthy Workplace Bill
Professor of Law at Suffolk Law School in Boston, he is considered the leading legal authority on workplace bullying. The Healthy Workplace bill has been introduced in a number of states, including New York. Its impact on employers and employees, when passed, will be discussed.

Panel Presenters

Sharon Brennan, PhD – Dynamic and Interpersonal Issues in Workplace Bullying
Harold Takoosian, PhD – Bullying in Academe – A Global Problem
Ann Winton, PhD – A Forensic Psychologist’s Views on Bullying

Richard Wexler, PhD – The Organizational Psychologist’s Role in Preventing & Ameliorating Workplace Bullying; Moderator of Q & A
Sylvan Schaffer, J.D., Ph.D., A Forensic Psychologist’s Hypothetical Case
Judi Segall, Stony Brook University Ombudsman – The Ombudsperson’s Role

Ira Richman, PhD, Carol Goldberg, PhD & Michael Grove, PhD – Moderators

###

CE credits (pending, but expected) and opportunity for Free OCW Membership.

ONLINE REGISTRATION. Space is limited.

$35     Members of Co-Sponsoring Divisions/Organizations

$60     NYSPA Members (Includes OCW Membership)

$90    General public, Not members of co-sponsoring organizations

$25    Early Career Psychologists

$15    Students

Surcharges
$10 For CE Credits (pending)
$20 – At-the-Door Registration

Registration includes morning coffee/muffins and a light sandwich buffet lunch.

Registration also includes membership in the OCW Psychology Division for NYSPA members who are not already members and would like to join now as part of the registration package



]]> http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/03/27/nyspa/feed/ 0 http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/03/27/agh-2/ http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/03/27/agh-2/#comments Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:50:18 +0000 Dr. Gary Namie http://www.workplacebullying.org/?p=12261 Workplace Bullying subject of upcoming seminar By Jerry Siebenmark The Wichita Eagle, March 27, 2013

Gary Namie has made it his mission to eliminate bullying in the workplace.

Namie, co-founder of the Washington-based Workplace Bullying Institute, will be the keynote speaker at an AGH Employer Solutions seminar on Wednesday, April 3, at the Wichita Hyatt Regency.

The social psychologist began his work on the issue in 1997 and since then has lectured and consulted companies on the topic across the country.

A former corporate manager and academic, Namie said workplace bullying takes several forms: verbal abuse, humiliation, intimidation, threats and work sabotage.

“To us, workplace bullying is domestic violence in the workplace” minus any physical violence, Namie said. “It’s a real trap for the individual who is targeted.”

Based on a survey his institute commissioned with Zogby International in 2010, 35 percent of American workers reported being bullied in the workplace, and 16 percent said they had witnessed a co-worker being bullied. The survey was based on 4,200 survey respondents.

Namie said the institute is planning to update that survey soon.

He said legislation outlawing workplace bullying is being considered in nine states. Efforts were made to get a similar law passed in Kansas in 2009, but the bill didn’t go beyond a House committee.

Tammy Allen of AGH said officials there were looking for a fresh topic to bring to business leaders and human resource officers when they selected Namie.

“Our planning group thought it would be a relevant and new topic that could potentially have a major effect on employers,” Allen said.

For more information on the seminar, go to www.aghemployersolutions.com



]]> http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/03/27/agh-2/feed/ 0 http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/03/27/talk-19/ http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/03/27/talk-19/#comments Wed, 27 Mar 2013 16:00:04 +0000 admin http://www.workplacebullying.org/?p=12158 Let’s Talk with Kalola, where targets can share their experiences with WBI’s blog readers. Here we go!


Dear Kalola,

I was an Executive Assistant for a major company for seven years. I had been working with a CIO for two years, who then decided to retire. When told of this, I was also informed that the Company’s plan for me was to demote me three grade levels. They were then going to allow the new CIO to bring his current Assistant to replace me. I didn’t want to take the demotion and the company supported me. I was excited to work with the new CIO and was certain that once he worked with me for a bit, he would like me, as all of my previous employers had. However, for four years, the new CIO bullied me and then fired me.

From the start, this person micro-managed me. Putting every little typo, and other menial nonsense into my employee folder. He would disregard my calls (he traveled a lot), he left me out of meetings that I had attended in the past, he claimed on several occasions, that I surely had a “thing” going on with my previous boss, in order to secure my position. He would humiliate me in front of his old assistant, calling her to his office to show me how to do menial tasks. He would contact his old assistant daily and leave me hanging on major issues. He had made it clear to his direct reports that any and all mistakes made, by me, were to be reported back to him. He took the majority of the good work that I was doing, and gave it to others. When I did do great work, he gave credit to others, even monetarily, but never me. He left me out of everything. He even went as far as to crank called me at a hotel, where I was staying at for a work function, pretending to be my boyfriend. In fact, he did just about anything that he could do to get me to quit. Ruining my home-life, and actually pointing out, that I couldn’t keep a loving relationship with a man and asked me, why this was? He was constantly causing me undue stress to the point of having to see a physician for anxiety and depression. I was completely segregated from the rest of the department.

I reported the harassment to Human Resources on several occasions, but the Human Resources representative was also intimidated and nothing ever came of my complaints.

I have been severely depressed since, and it’s been over a year now. I lost my health insurance immediately, and when I needed it the most. I am on unemployment now, but it’s about to run out and I’ve not found comparable adequate work. I’m terrified. I have lost everything. The love of my life is gone, along my motivation, my confidence and the love my career. I was never able to have children, so I was always a completely devoted, motivated and loyal employee, with a good attitude, regardless of the situation.

I can’t find an attorney to help, as I was an “at will” employee.

I wish that I could give advice, but really, I’m seeking it. There must be something that can be done.

I need help and have no place left to turn. I feel stuck running in place. I don’t even have one letter of reference from this company and I really don’t know how to explain this to a potential employer without being negative.

I just want my life back and feel that I’ve been completely wronged. I really find it so difficult to believe that people can just destroy someone’s life out of selfishness and unprofessionalism.

Can anyone help?  I’d even be will to pay an attorney to help me compose a letter to the CEO of the company. I’m desperate to also find medical counseling.

Any help would be appreciated. Obviously there is much more to the story, but honestly, the things that were done to me, would take up much more space than allotted.

Michelle




Dear Michelle,




Please know that what happened to you had nothing to do with your ability to do the job or you as a person.  The incoming chief information officer  (CIO), a high-level manager, had more leverage than you.

You worked for the employer for seven years, and worked two years as an executive assistant to a CIO until she/he retired.  All was well until the new CIO was hired.  The new CIO wanted to bring on board a member of his old team which may have been included in the terms of his employment agreement..  Your employer offered you another position, however, the salary was significantly lower, and constituted a demotion.  You declined the transfer offer and, at the time, felt that the employer supported your decision to stay on as the CIO’s executive assistant.

 

From the very start, the CIO micromanaged you.  He began creating a paper trail on you.  You were held accountable for every error that you made no matter how small.  Employees who reported to the CIO, who discovered your mistakes, were expected to report those transgressions to him.  The CIO humiliated you in front of others, gave your work to others to do, and gave credit for your good work to others.   To humiliate you further, he would bring in his assistant to show you how to do tasks.  He ignored your telephone calls when he was out of the office.  Your office was relocated away from his office which isolated you.   You also allege that he ruined your personal relationships outside of work.  To the CIO you were persona non grata.   After four years, you were terminated.

 

The big red flag was when the employer informed you that the incoming CIO wanted to bring on board his assistant, a member of his old team, to replace you.  The employer, in my opinion, erred in not offering you a transfer to a position with equal pay and benefits or some type of severance package.  Instead, the employer offered you a transfer to a position with significantly lower pay.  This would have been the time to consult with an attorney.   An attorney might have been able to negotiate a severance package which might have included a continuation of health benefits for a specified period of time, as well as a good letter of recommendation so that you could find another job.   It is not unusual for employers to give outstanding, glowing recommendations when they want a person to move on.

 

Why didn’t Human Resources (HR) help you?  HR reports to management and supports management.  You reported the harassment to HR who did little or nothing.  Show your complaint letter(s) to an employment and labor attorney.  It is not your fault that HR was impotent.

Did you ask HR about COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) continuation health insurance coverage?  You would have had to pay out-of-pocket to continue your health benefit coverage if you qualified.   Although it is now too late for you to obtain this coverage, the information is included for our readers.

Reference:  U.S. Department of Labor’s Frequently Asked Questions for Employees About COBRA Continuation Health Coverage http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/faqs/faq-consumer-cobra.html

The anti-bullying Workplace Bullying Institute has suggestions for “Finding a new job after your bullying experience” which can be found at:  http://www.workplacebullying.org/individuals/solutions/finding-a-job/

Consider contacting the retired CIO that you worked for, and ask for a letter of reference.  When contacting her/him, do not badmouth the employer or the CIO that replaced the now retired CIO.   If he/she doesn’t provide you with a letter of reference, you will have to just let it go.   Were there other supervisors that you worked for that could give you a letter of reference?

  

If you believe that your former employer is giving you a bad employment reference you could contact a reference checking service, for a fee, who can determine what your former employer is saying about you to prospective employers.   With the proof that you are receiving a bad reference, you could contact an employment and labor attorney to see whether or not the attorney can write a cease and desist letter to the employer on your behalf.  Employers, however, can say negative things about a worker if those negative things are in fact factual.   The attorney will determine whether he/she can write a cease and desist letter or not.

 

Based on the information that you submitted, from the employer’s point of view, your termination was likely considered a lawful, good faith (or good cause) personnel action.  Why and how could this be when you were mistreated?  It would appear that the CIO knew what he was doing, and created a negative paper trail on your work performance.   However, should you possess any documentation such as e-mails, letters, performance evaluations that appeared to be unfair or unprofessional or harassing/threatening text messages or telephone messages that he may have left on your home telephone or cell phone, or statements from others who observed how you were treated, show the documentation to an attorney.

 

The anti-bullying Workplace Bullying Institute (WBI) does not give legal advice.  We are not lawyers.  As of this writing, workplace bullying is not against the law in any state in the United States.   An employment and labor attorney can best tell you whether you have any legal recourse.    See an employment and labor attorney that works with workers only versus those employment and labor attorneys who work with employers.  If you wish to pursue your matter, it would be in your best interests to follow-up as soon as possible due to statute(s)of limitations that may affect your ability to pursue the matter.   WBI has suggestions for finding a lawyer at:  http://www.workplacebullying.org/individuals/solutions/finding-a-lawyer/

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate based on the person’s race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information, etc.  These laws apply to workers as well as to job applicants in hiring, firing, job promotions, harassment, training, wages, and benefits.  Reference:  http://www.eeoc.gov/

Also see:  Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission:http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/phrc_home/18970/employment_discrimination/707816

If there is no illegal discrimination, a worker can be terminated at will for good cause, bad cause, or for no reason at all with a few exceptions such as a defined employment contract, the public policy exception that bars an employer from terminating employees in violation of well-established public policy (for example:  when the employee reports that a public policy or law was violated or refuses to violate a public policy or law), etc.  The state of Montana is the exception to the at-will employment doctrine where beyond a probationary period, a worker can only be fired for good cause.   Unless a worker can show that their particular circumstances are the exception to the rule, the worker is considered to be employed at will.  An employment and labor attorney could best advise you.

See:  Find Law—At-Will Employee Frequently Asked Questions http://employment.findlaw.com/hiring-process/at-will-employee-faq-s.html

Other Helpful Web Sites:

• U.S. Department of Labor
• Workplace Fairness
• Law  Help (for low-income)
• Law Help (for low-income)—Pennsylvania

If you do not now have a physician that you have been seeing, you might ask your close friends and/or family for a recommendation.  When you find a doctor, tell her/him what happened to you, and any physical or other symptoms that you are experiencing.  You can ask your doctor for a referral to a mental health professional.  WBI also has suggestions for finding a mental health professional at:  http://www.workplacebullying.org/individuals/solutions/selecting-a-therapist/

[Some good news for low-income Pennsylvanians who need medical care:  In the Philadelphia Inquirer online posted March 6, 2013:  "A state judge has ordered the Corbett administration to reinstate funding for programs that provided health insurance to tens of thousands of low-income Pennsylvanians.  In his ruling Tuesday, Commonwealth Court President Judge Dan Pellegrini found that two statutes that stripped money from the AdultBasic and Medicaid programs were unconstitutional because they diverted money from the federal tobacco settlement to finance items other than health care in the general budget."  An attorney who represented former AdultBasic recipients in a lawsuit said, "This is a significant victory for people in Pennsylvania who work hard and play by the rules, but can't afford private (medical) insurance."  See story at:   http://articles.philly.com/2013-03-06/news/37503432_1_adultbasic-health-insurance-pennsylvanians]

Although your unemployment benefits are about to end, I’m glad that you were able to receive those benefits.  Often times, the employer will fight the worker on receiving unemployment benefits.  However, I don’t know the details as you may have had to appeal in order to receive those benefits.  I hope that you will check out the free services that your local state Department of Employment offers to help people find work.

How to explain why you left your previous job?  Anticipate that the question will be asked in a job interview.  Keep your explanation brief, and do not give unnecessary details.  You might say that a new manager was hired who came with his own assistant, and you were released from the job because he already had an assistant.  Don’t get emotional.  Don’t badmouth your former supervisor or the employer.  Be professional in your words and actions.  You could do a mock job interview with a friend, and practice your responses to typical job interview questions.  Ask a friend to videotape your responses so that you can critique your responses to interview questions as well as check your posture, see what the interviewer sees, and hear how you sound.

 

Until you find a job, consider doing temporary work through a temporary employment agency.  Sometimes temp jobs can lead to full-time employment.   A temp job will also help you to maintain your office skills.  There are also many opportunities to do volunteer work in your community.  Volunteer work can be noted on your résumé.  Although volunteer work is not the same as a regular, full-time job it will help to fill the gap in employment dates.  Doing volunteer work is a good thing that will also help  you to feel good about yourself.  During this time, you could be taking a class to enhance or maintain your job skills.   Your local public community college or community education program may also offer short-term courses on building self-esteem, relationships, communication skills, etc.  You could also enroll in a course for your own personal enrichment or take a fun class such as a dance class, yoga, or exercise class.

 

Michelle—what happened to you was not your fault.  What happened to you was not a reflection of who you are as a person or your ability to do the job.  All was well until the CIO was hired.  You were bullied during the four years that you were employed under the CIO.   Recovery is different for each person who has suffered from the kind of abuse that you endured.  I hope that you can find a mental health professional who can help you to deal with the anxiety/sadness/anger/grief that you are experiencing since losing your job, and help you to build your self esteem and confidence in yourself.

 

Yes, there ought to be a law.  In Pennsylvania, there is an anti-bullying Healthy Workplace Bill volunteer legislative coordinator along with volunteers/citizen lobbyists working to get a Healthy Workplace Bill in your state.  To see what is happening in Pennsylvania and/or volunteer to help, go to the website: http://www.healthyworkplacebill.org/states/pa/pennsylvania.php

For our readers who are now being targeted by a bully or bullies, take a moment and look at the bigger picture.   Anticipate, if you will, your future in your current job. If things are not rosy, your health and well being have been affected, your work is suffering, and your relationships are being affected—then now might be the time to start considering your options.  If you have observed in your workplace other workers who have left the employer because of a bully or bullies, and you are now the target of a bully then you already know what may lie ahead if you choose to stay at the job.  I hope that you will take action and begin to look at your options.  Rarely, will things get better if you choose to stay.  Generally, there is a downhill slide.  If the employer has begun to create a paper trail of write ups that are going into your employee file that is a big red flag.  The red flag could be saying that your days with the employer are numbered.  If you feel this is happening to you, please look at your options.  Your health and safety is paramount.

Sincerely,

Kalola



]]> http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/03/27/talk-19/feed/ 0 http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/03/26/flourishanyway/ http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/03/26/flourishanyway/#comments Tue, 26 Mar 2013 10:00:38 +0000 admin http://www.workplacebullying.org/?p=12258 By FlourishAnyway

Link to FlourishAnyway’s HubPage

The loud laugh was unmistakable. I heard the voice of my bully in a department store as she rifled through sales racks with her son. Although her back was turned towards me, spotting her took me back to that awful place five years earlier.

The Dream Job — With One Small Catch

Since I was a child, I yearned to work for a particular Fortune 500 company that is well respected in my community. When I scored a job in their Human Resources (HR) department, I believed it was a dream fulfilled. However, HR has bullies, too. What I didn’t know when I signed on was that my coworker, “Betty,” had a track record of tormenting coworkers whom she found threatening. Worse yet was that she seemed to have management’s consent. Betty had chased my predecessor off in less than a year using petty personal attacks and uncooperativeness. I was simply next in line.

Betty had worked for the company for nearly 30 years, having risen through the ranks from an hourly production employee to the maven of the company’s HR computer system. She effectively “owned” that system, making it hers by customizing it so highly that no one else understood all of its intricacies. There was no user manual, no formal training. There was only Betty, Office Mean Girl (OMG). Within six weeks of joining the company, I regretted the move.

I was hired partially because of my knowledge of other systems, as Betty’s system was coming up for bid. This automatically made me a perceived threat — Strike One. Both my predecessor and I were external hires at a company that valued promotion from within. Strike Two. Betty also frequently commented on the fact that she had achieved so much in spite of having only a high school diploma. It was a sensitive issue for her, and no matter how I recognized her contributions it just wasn’t enough. My predecessor and I each held graduate degrees. Strike Three, according to Betty.

Welcome To Hell

On my first day of work, neither she nor our manager could find the time to take me around the office and make introductions. I finally did it myself on day two. Betty later couldn’t find the time to train me either, even though my job depended on my knowing the system inside out. She cancelled our training sessions at the last minute and was too busy to reschedule. Our manager, hating conflict, permitted this and made excuses for her.

Making an honest attempt to get to know her, I listened to Betty’s family crises and her rants about being passed over because of age discrimination, nepotism, and not giving into sexual harassment. She assassinated the characters of coworkers and executives alike. Although she was very charming to coworkers’ faces, behind their backs Betty described them as unmotivated and incompetent. She called them “pond scum” and “stupid.” She and our manager frequently joked that it was “time to drain the pond.” No one was immune from her ridicule, even those she considered friends. Being a new employee, it was hard to know what to believe. I wondered aloud what names Betty called me when I wasn’t around. She chuckled and tilted her head back as our manager sat there, smug and silent.

As I struggled to make sense of my ill-defined job and the bully in the next cubicle, I worked late nights, took work home and often cried at night from the stress. I was determined to somehow work through this. I had wanted this job too long and wasn’t going to let someone like Betty defeat me. I struggled with migraines and flare-ups of my Multiple Sclerosis as a consequence.

Betty the Bully was unrelenting in her thinly veiled hostility. As I became more competent in my role, Betty dumped loads of work in my lap. She sent emails to the rest of the department that pointed out how they weren’t using the system correctly, then referred them to me for questions. She routinely pointed out my errors to superiors and clients, both in public and behind my back. She once even off-handedly accused me of stealing, then laughed it off when I objected.

My bully increasingly “forgot” to include me on key emails and meeting invitations with clients and left me out of projects and lunches with her small clique. I often did not have the necessary information to do my job and felt ambushed with surprise findings during meetings. I even overheard her and my manager describing my husband as “ugly” after they had first met him at a social event.

As a ring leader, Betty also recruited several others to her bullying cause. They had previously been mere bystanders but joined her in whispered gossip sessions. Word usually got back to me, however, via sympathetic coworkers. When I addressed Betty’s behaviors with management, my concerns were turned back on me.

A Funny Thing Happens

Then, in spite of Betty, I started to succeed, relying on trial and error as well the kindness of other coworkers to learn the system and the company culture. (They weren’t the “pond scum” that she claimed.) I also reached out to my predecessor to compare experiences. Betty and our manager had described her as very headstrong and hard to get along with, so I didn’t know what to expect.

Meeting with her over lunch, I discovered parallel stories of an office bully and the timid leadership that allowed Betty to get away with it. Sure enough, Betty had used the same bullying tactics with my predecessor, except my predecessor did not put up with such behavior for as long as I had. She had bid on a job in another department within a year, leaving behind both Betty and the ineffective management enabling her.

No longer worried that there was something wrong with me, I finally saw Betty as the insecure, jealous bully that she was — nothing more. She was an adult version of a middle school Mean Girl. As a result, I became savvier in dealing with her. I learned to either brush off her snide comments or to respond to them directly. I found support from others both inside of the department and out. Even without Betty’s help, I developed my own expertise.

I remained business-like but limited my interaction with Betty to only necessary conversation. Out of self-preservation, I stopped engaging her in any chit chat and isolated myself from her negativity. Biding my time, I put up with our manager’s excuses and uneven treatment, such as cancelling my vacation requests because Betty wanted to take the same week off.

Then, when the time was right, I applied for other jobs in the company, competing with outside applicants to interview successfully for a mere lateral transfer to another department. My new job involved the same pay, a longer commute and considerable overnight travel away from my young child. My manager tried to convince me to stay put by asking what would be the effect of all that travel on my child. He also dangled the remote possibility of a promotion if I stayed and disparaged my new managers. Regardless, I left Betty the Bully behind … as well as her cowardly management enablers. I loved my new job, and there was no looking back.

Gone, Betty, Gone

Betty took early retirement during a round of voluntary downsizing shortly thereafter. I was not surprised when I was not invited to her company-sponsored retirement dinner. Finally, after three years of working with her, the Office Mean Girl was gone.

I thrived for several more years in my new role then resigned from the company after becoming safely pension-vested. Throughout my ordeal with Betty, that had become my goal — to survive long enough to be vested in the company pension. Because of my experience with this company-sanctioned bully — and because later I saw that so many other employees had their own “Bettys” — I lost trust in the organization that first created and then tolerated Betty’s hostility for so long.

When I saw her in the department store that day, memories of Betty the Bully came back to me like a scab, ripped away to expose a bloody wound of rejection and self-doubt. For the first time in several years, she was only 15 feet away. Should I acknowledge her?

I steeled myself and finished my transaction at the cash register, making sure to speak loudly enough to the cashier so that Betty could hear me. No hiding here. I decided that Betty the Office Mean Girl did not merit even artificial niceties from me. She had already done enough damage. As I turned to leave, I knew I would continue to move on — flourish even — being stronger now and ever resilient.



]]> http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/03/26/flourishanyway/feed/ 0 http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/03/25/maine/ http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/03/25/maine/#comments Mon, 25 Mar 2013 22:15:34 +0000 Dr. Gary Namie http://www.workplacebullying.org/?p=12246 Maine State House Representative Sara Gideon introduced HP 845 today. The “Act to Protect Employees from Abusive Work Environments” has 7 House co-sponsors and 2 Senate co-sponsors. Maine becomes the 24th state to ever introduce this legislation. To date, no state has yet passed the bill into law.

HP 845 is the 12th version of the WBI anti-bullying Healthy Workplace Bill introduced in 2013. A total of 9 states have currently active bills.

The bill is our attempt to get U.S. employers to take repeated, health-harming abusive misconduct as seriously as they currently must address illegal forms of discriminatory misconduct.

In the U.S., workplace bullying is still legal. Among the western industrialized nations, the U.S. lags far behind in (1) admitting the epidemic rates of bullying, and (2) passing laws to address it.



]]> http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/03/25/maine/feed/ 0 http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/03/22/suicide-2/ http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/03/22/suicide-2/#comments Fri, 22 Mar 2013 17:55:38 +0000 Dr. Gary Namie http://www.workplacebullying.org/?p=12224 Guest blog by Linda Woods

When I hear the phrase committed suicide I cringe at those words. It always sounds to me like someone has committed a crime. Not so many years ago in Canada it was a criminal offence to take your own life. In some states in the U.S. it is still a crime. I have met parents who have been shattered by the death of their child by suicide and to add insult to injury their dead child was charged with a criminal offence after their death.

Our 13-year-old son Greg died by suicide on January 25, 1990, so I have had a lot of time to come to terms with and educate myself around the subject of suicide. When a person has depression or a mental illness and it is not treated they sometimes go on to died by suicide. They were in horrific indescribable pain and suffered beyond our comprehension and now we want to persecute them further by suggesting that they are committing a crime. Suicide is not about dying; it is about ending the pain.

My grief journey has introduced me to many, many survivors of suicide — parents, siblings, grandparents, spouses, other relatives and friends. The ripple effect is not like any other death. The “what if’s, if onlys, what did I miss, why didn’t I see that behavior as suicidal?” and on and on. When a survivor, through story telling and reminiscing starts to introduce me to the person who died, there are so many similarities ~ overly sensitive, intelligent, compassionate and so on. They believe they are a burden to those around them and we will be better off if they are gone.

What I also came to understand was when we are physically tired from a hard day’s work, a short nap or a shower will refresh, when we are mentally tired nothing helps to refresh us. For those who are depressed and suicidal, they are just tired and exhausted all the time — there is no apparent relief from the pain and exhaustion. They just
barely make it through each day and night and one day they don’t have the strength to carry on. When I hear suicide described as a cowardly act I shake my head. The person who is suffering has been so brave to live with their pain for as long as they have; we have to find them courageous at some level for doing that. To think about the final act of taking one’s own life, I believe is an act of desperation.

For me this is not about being politically correct, it is about honouring the family left behind and the person who died by saying “Died by Suicide”. They were in pain and they died and we loved them and will always miss them.

Forever Greg’s Mom . . . . . .
Linda Woods
Kelowna, BC

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29% of bullied targets have considered suicide; 16% actually had a plan



]]> http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/03/22/suicide-2/feed/ 0 http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/03/21/daniel/ http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/03/21/daniel/#comments Thu, 21 Mar 2013 19:22:36 +0000 admin http://www.workplacebullying.org/?p=12203 Human Resource Association of Central Connecticut (HRACC) hosts Teresa Daniel, PhD, JD
April 16, 2013, 5 to 8 pm
Sheraton Hotel
Rocky Hill, CT


Note: Teresa Daniel is a WBI colleague and friend. Unlike other HR folks, she understands completely how destructive workplace bullying is and how HR can improve its response.

###

From the Hartford Courant

Workplace bullying affects more than 50 million U.S. employees. This topic will be discussed at an April program sponsored by The Human Resource Association of Central Connecticut.

With one incident of bullying every seven minutes, sadly, bullying is the most frequent form of violence that school-aged children encounter.

What may be surprising is the number of U.S. employees who report being bullied at work. Recent studies about the prevalence of workplace bullying in the United States have confirmed that between 27% and 35% of employees in the report having been bullied at work. That’s about 54 million people!

Dr. Teresa Daniel, author and dean & professor-Human Resource Leadership Programs Sullivan University, Louisville, KY says there are differences between a “tough boss” and a workplace bully.

Dr. Daniels’ latest research explores the prevalence of bullying among Human Resource professionals and whether such abusive practices might somehow be related to the HR role itself. This is described in her book, “Stop Bullying at Work: Strategies and Tools for HR & Legal Professionals”.

Dr. Daniel will meet with HR and business professionals at a meeting sponsored by the Human Resource Association of Central Connecticut (HRACC) on April 16. She will discuss how bullying affects the health, family life, and productivity of employees, and the current and proposed legal protections for targets of bullying. She will also explore some of the reasons these counterproductive behaviors persist throughout organizations in all sectors.

The presentation will take place at the Sheraton, Rocky Hill, 5 to 8 p.m. For more information and to register, please visit http://www.hracc.org. The cost for members is $40, $50 for non-members, and $20 for members in transition.



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