The WORD Blog

The New York Healthy Workplace Advocates (nyhwa.org) are leading the effort in New York State to pass the Healthy Workplace Bill. This message is being sent to provide an update on t NYHWA activities and the status of the Healthy Workplace Bill in New York State.
info@nyhwa.org
Sunday, January 15, 2017

In the 2015-2016 legislative session, the Assembly bill number was A3250 and the Senate bill number was S6438.  By the end of the 2015-2016 legislative session, 79 Assembly members and 15 Senators were sponsors of the bill.  The HWB addresses bullying in the workplace, defined as repeated verbal abuse, psychological abuse, work interference and/or work sabotage that prevents work from getting done or some combination of the three.

January 15, 2017 UPDATE:

• NYHWA presenting at “Prepare and Empower” January 16, 2017
• Passing of Elizabeth Nostrand
• Lobby Day I, February 8, 2017 Albany, NY
• Send NYHWA Your Personal Account of Workplace Bullying
• Know your Rights Event in NYC, January 27th, 2017
• December 8, 2016 NYC Call To Action Event
• Appeal for Unions and Professional Associations to Lobby
• Volunteer Needed to Assist with Promotion of NYHWA on Facebook
• Proclamations recognizing “Freedom from Workplace Bullies Week” received to
• date from Municipalities across New York State
• Check us out at nyhwa.org, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube sites

NYHWA presenting at “Prepare and Empower” January 16, 2017

NYHWA is presenting a workplace bullying presentation called “Workplace Bullying: It’s Personal, Not Business at the SHARE Changes “Prepare and Empower” event in Manhattan

SHARE Changes is a coalition of knowledge, resources, and grassroots organizations comprised of ordinary people who have a desire to build solidarity and effect informed, positive change.

SHARE stands for:
– SAFETY (the body)
– HOPE (the spirit)
– AWARENESS (the mind)
– REAL EXPECTATIONS (the plan)

SHARE Changes will be hosting its first in-person event on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, (Monday) January 16th. The theme is “PREPARE and EMPOWER”.

We will honor Dr. King’s legacy as we learn and participate in workshops, creative activities, and an optional march throughout the community. Let us demonstrate our strength, our solidarity, and our right to protest on this historic day.
11:00 am – 5:00 pm (workshops)
1:30 pm – 3:30 pm (optional march)
Washington Heights/Inwood (NYC)

Our Saviour’s Atonement Lutheran Church (178 Bennett Avenue, 10040). For more information and to register please visit www.sharechanges.com/jan16-prepareandempower, email contactus@sharechanges.com, or call (646) 431 – 4716.

Passing of Elizabeth Nostrand

On May 31, 2016, Elizabeth Nostrand passed away.  Elizabeth worked for eight years as the Legislative and Policy Director for Assemblyman Steve Englebright.  NYHWA had a wonderful working relationship with Elizabeth and she was an ally for people who want a law to address workplace bullying.   Those of us at NYHWA are saddened.
She is sadly missed.

Assemblyman Englebright became the Prime Sponsor of the Healthy Workplace Bill beginning March 17, 2008 (A10291).  In 2007, the bill was originally sponsored in the Assembly by Assemblyman Bob Barra.

3. Lobby Day I, February 8, 2017 Albany, NY

We will kick off the 2017 lobbying season with a one-day event on February 8th in Albany. Our focus is to speak with key legislators about potential changes to the bill that we have been considering for the past year.  This event will not be one of our usual lobby day events where we invite people to come to Albany to talk about their experiences.  We expect to have
two other lobby day events in 2017 where, if you are interested, you will be able to participate and talk to our NYS Legislators talk about your workplace bullying experiences and the outcomes of them.

Send NYHWA Your Personal Account of Workplace Bullying

We once again will are seeking personal accounts from individuals who have experienced workplace bullying.  We intend to distribute accounts that we receive to all 213 state legislators at all three of our lobby day events.  Personal accounts are very helpful to show the range of tactics, employer responses and health issues that employees encounter when they are targeted in the workplace. Personal accounts are most effective when they are no longer than 2 pages long and get to the heart of the matter.  Accounts should state what happened, how the abusive behavior affected you, the employment conditions during the period you incurred the abuse and also the one’s current employment situation.

If you are willing to write your personal account and are willing to identify yourself, we ask if you can look up who your state Senator and Assembly member are.  We will personally hand deliver 213 copies of your personal account the entire membership of the NYS legislature and inform those that you are a constituent of know that you live in their district.  Personal accounts from constituents are also extremely useful as legislators have a personal investment to address concerns of those they represent. Personal accounts can be anonymous as well.

Please use the following links to verify who your State Assembly member and Senator are and pass them along to us with your personal account.

To verify who your NYS Assemblymember is, complete the form found at this link:
http://nyassembly.gov/mem/search/

To verify who your NYS Senator is, complete the form found at this link:
https://www.nysenate.gov/registration/nojs/form/start/find-my-senator

Please send your personal accounts to mikes@nyhwa.org or via postal mail to:
NYHWA
5500 N. Bailey Avenue, #43
Buffalo, NY 14214

End of Part 1. Will send Part 2 as soon as Part 1 shows up in our mailboxes.

Gregg Morris
Assistant Professor
Hunter College
http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/make-nys-healthy-workplace