2015 -- H 5149

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LC000585

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2015

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS - ABUSIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT

PREVENTION ACT

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Hull, Bennett, Slater, Blazejewski, and Diaz

     Date Introduced: January 21, 2015

     Referred To: House Labor

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Title 28 of the General Laws entitled "LABOR AND LABOR

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RELATIONS" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter:

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CHAPTER 57

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THE ABUSIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT PREVENTION ACT

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     28-57-1. Declaration of policy. – The social and economic well-being of the state of

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Rhode Island is dependent on healthy and productive employees. The harassment and abuse of

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employees in the workplace is more prevalent than sexual harassment. Such harassment can

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inflict serious harm upon targeted employees such as feelings of shame and humiliation, severe

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anxiety, depression, suicidal tendencies, impaired immune systems, hypertension, increased risk

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of cardiovascular disease, and symptoms consistent with post-traumatic stress disorder. Abusive

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work environments can have serious consequences for employers including reduced employee

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productivity and morale, higher turnover and absenteeism rates, and increases in medical and

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worker compensation claims. If mistreated employees who have been subjected to abusive

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treatment at work cannot establish that the behavior was motivated by race, creed, color, age,

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marital status, familial status, physical or mental disability, or national origin, they are unlikely to

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be protected by the law against such treatment. Legal protection from abusive work environments

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should not be limited to behavior grounded in protected class status as provided by employment

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discrimination statutes.

 

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     28-57-2. Definitions. – The following words and phrases, as used in this chapter shall

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have the following meanings:

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     (1) "Abusive conduct" means employees acts, omissions, or both, that a reasonable

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person would find hostile, based on the severity, nature, and frequency of the employee's conduct,

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including, but not limited to: repeated infliction of verbal abuse such as the use of derogatory

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remarks, insults, and epithets; verbal or physical conduct of a threatening, intimidating, or

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humiliating nature; sabotage or undermining of an employee's work performance; or attempts to

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exploit an employee's known psychological or physical vulnerability. Normally, no single act

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shall constitute abusive conduct, but an especially severe and egregious act may meet this

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standard.

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     (2) "Abusive work environment" means an employment condition where any employee,

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acting with malice, subjects another employee to abusive conduct so severe that it causes tangible

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harm.

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     (3) "Adverse employment action" means an outcome which negatively affects an

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employee. Such outcomes include, but shall not be limited to: termination, constructive discharge,

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demotion, unfavorable reassignment, failure to promote, disciplinary action, or reduction in

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compensation.

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     (4) "Constructive discharge" means an employee:

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     (i) Reasonably believed he or she was subjected to abusive conduct;

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     (ii) Resigned because of that abusive conduct; and

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     (iii) Prior to resigning, brought to the employer's attention the existence of the abusive

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conduct, and the employer failed to take reasonable steps to correct the situation.

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     (5) "Employee" means a person employed by any employer, and shall include, but not be

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limited to, at-will employees, contract employees, and independent contractors.

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     (6) "Employer" means any person, partnership, association, sole proprietorship,

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corporation, or other business entity, including any department, agency, commission, committee,

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board, council, bureau, or authority or any subdivision thereof in state or municipal government,

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who shall employ another if services are performed for wages or under any contract of hire,

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written or oral, express or implied.

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     (7) "Malice" means the desire to cause pain, injury, or distress to another.

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     (8) "Physical harm" means the material impairment of a person's physical health or

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bodily integrity as established by competent evidence.

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     (9) "Psychological harm" means the material impairment of a person's mental health, as

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established by competent evidence.

 

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     (10) "Tangible harm" means psychological harm or physical harm.

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     28-57-3. Abusive work environment. – (a) No employer or employee shall subject

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another employee to an abusive work environment.

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     (b) No employer or employee shall retaliate in any manner against an employee who has

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complained of an abusive work environment under this chapter, or who has made a charge,

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testified, assisted, or participated in any manner in an investigation or proceeding under this

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chapter, including, but not limited to, internal complaints and proceedings, arbitration, and

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mediation proceedings, and legal actions.

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     28-57-4. Liability. – (a) An employer shall be vicariously liable for a violation of this

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chapter by its employee.

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     (b) Where the alleged abusive work environment does not include an adverse

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employment action, it shall be an affirmative defense for an employer only that:

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     (1) The employer exercised reasonable care to prevent and correct promptly any

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actionable behavior; and

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     (2) The complainant employee unreasonably failed to take advantage of appropriate

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preventive or corrective opportunities provided by the employer.

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     (c) An employee may be individually liable for a violation of § 28-57-3.

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     (d) It shall be an affirmative defense for an employee only that the employee committed a

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violation of § 28-57-3 at the direction of the employer, under threat of an adverse employment

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action.

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     28-57-5. Rights and remedies. – (a) An employee or former employee shall commence

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an action under this section no later than three (3) years after the last act that constitutes the

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alleged violation of § 28-57-3.

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     (b) Any employee or former employee who alleges a violation of rights under § 28-57-3

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and who has reported this behavior to his or her supervisor or higher level management without it

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being resolved, may seek a private right of action or obtain a hearing with the director of the

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department of labor and training or a designee appointed by the director.

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     (c) Following such hearing where an employee or employer has been found to have

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violated § 28-57-3, the director or designee may enjoin that employer or employee from engaging

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in the unlawful employment practice and may order any other relief that is deemed appropriate,

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including, but not limited to, reinstatement, removal of the offending party from the

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complainant's work environment, back pay, front pay, medical expenses, compensation for

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emotional distress, and attorney's fees. Decisions rendered by the director under this section may

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be appealed pursuant to the administrative procedures act chapter 42-35 et seq. The complainant

 

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may also bring a civil action for damages or injunctive relief, or both, no later than three (3) years

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after the last alleged violation occurred.

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     (d) The remedies provided for in this section shall be in addition to any remedies

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provided under any other law, and nothing in this section shall relieve any person from any

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liability, duty, penalty, or punishment provided by any other law, except that if an employee

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receives workers' compensation for medical costs for the same injury or illness pursuant to both

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this section and workers' compensation, or compensation under both this section and workers'

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compensation in cash payments for the same period of time not working as a result of the

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compensable injury or illness or the unlawful employment practice, the payments of workers'

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compensation shall be reimbursed from compensation paid under this section.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS - ABUSIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT

PREVENTION ACT

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     This act would establish the abusive work environment prevention act, which would

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establish liability and remedies for creating an abusive work environment.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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