California Assembly Bill ACR55 Latest Draft

 BILL NUMBER: ACR 55AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 12, 2009 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Torlakson APRIL 1, 2009 Relative to workplace bullying training at the University of California. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST ACR 55, as amended, Torlakson. University of California: workplace bullying: supervisor training. This measure would urge the University of California to provide training to its supervisory employees regarding the prevention of workplace bullying, abuse, and harassment by  January 1, 2010   January 1, 2011  , and again every 2 years thereafter. Fiscal committee: yes. WHEREAS, The social and economic well-being of the state is dependent upon healthy and productive employees; and WHEREAS, Surveys and studies have documented that between 16 percent and 21 percent of employees directly experience health-endangering workplace bullying, abuse, and harassment, and that this behavior is three times more prevalent than sexual harassment alone; and WHEREAS, Surveys and studies have documented that abusive work environments can have serious effects on targeted employees, including feelings of shame and humiliation, stress, loss of sleep, severe anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, reduced immunity to infection, stress-related gastrointestinal disorders, hypertension, and pathophysiological changes that increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases; and WHEREAS, These same surveys and studies have documented that abusive work environments can have serious consequences for employers, including reduced employee productivity and morale, higher turnover and absenteeism rates, and significant increases in medical and workers' compensation claims; and WHEREAS, Unless mistreated employees have been subjected to abusive treatment at work on the basis of race, color,  sex   gender, sexual orientation  , national origin, or age, they are unlikely to have legal recourse to redress this treatment; and WHEREAS, Legal protection from abusive work environments should not be limited to behavior grounded in protected class status, such as is provided under employment statutes; and WHEREAS, Existing workers' compensation plans and common-law tort actions are inadequate to discourage this behavior or provide adequate redress to employees who have been harmed by abusive work environments; and WHEREAS, Existing law makes certain specified employment practices unlawful, including the harassment of an employee directly by the employer or indirectly by agents of the employer with the employer's knowledge; and WHEREAS, Existing law further requires every employer to act to ensure a workplace free of sexual harassment by implementing certain minimum requirements, including posting sexual harassment information posters at the workplace and obtaining and making available an information sheet on sexual harassment; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature of the State of California urges the University of California to provide two hours of workplace bullying, abuse, and harassment training and education to all of its supervisory employees by  January 1, 2010   January 1, 2011  , and once again every two years thereafter; and be it further Resolved, That the Legislature urges the University of California to incorporate the workplace bullying, abuse, and harassment training and education into the 80 hours of training provided to all new supervisory employees pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 19995.4 of the Government Code, using existing resources; and be it further Resolved, That the Legislature urges the University of California to include practical examples in the training that are aimed at instructing supervisors in the prevention of workplace bullying, abuse, and harassment; and be it further Resolved, That the Legislature urges that the training be presented by trainers or educators with knowledge and expertise in the prevention of workplace bullying; and be it further Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.