Vague Bullying Laws Would Invite Baseless Suits, Attys Say, Law360 ft. Philip Voluck
By Scott Flaherty
New York (August 01, 2014, 7:08 PM ET) — The recent veto of a New Hampshire bill meant to address bullying in the workplace — a proposal the state’s governor described as “well-intentioned” but ultimately “unworkable” — resonates with many employers’ concerns that ill-defined workplace bullying laws would invite a wave of meritless employment lawsuits, attorneys say.
New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan, a Democrat, on July 28 vetoed H.B. 591, which aimed to protect state government employees from “abusive conduct” in the workplace. In a statement explaining the veto, Hassan said she agreed with the intent of the bill, but some provisions were drafted so broadly the legislation would lead to…