Bullying in the Workplace: L&E Case Study
In a win for employers, the Connecticut Supreme Court defines “supervisor” narrowly for purposes of vicarious employer liability under Connecticut Fair Employment Practices Act - Under Connecticut’s civil rights law, an...more
Last year, the Connecticut General Assembly passed significant revisions to the school climate and bullying requirements, via Public Act 23-167 as we explored at length in a prior posting. ...more
Minnesota AG Keith Ellison’s office has released a report on emerging technology and its effect on youth well-being, which was commissioned by the Minnesota legislature in 2023. The report covers the current state of social...more
National studies of student hazing have found that more than half of college students associated with clubs, teams or organizations experience hazing. Yet less than 10% of those who experience hazing actually call the...more
Connecticut’s bullying laws, set forth in Connecticut General Statutes Sections 10-222d, 10-222g, 10-222k and the like, have long obligated school districts to remedy acts of bullying and teen dating violence. School...more
Last week Pullman & Comley released its annual comprehensive summary of legislation affecting Connecticut schools. Included here is our initial take on the key policy and procedural impacts as a result of this year’s...more
In early June, Governor Pritzker signed Public Act 103-0047 into law. This law, which went into effect on June 12, 2023, included several amendments to the Illinois bullying prevention statute, 105 ILCS 5/27-23.7....more
We take a look at what firms can do to educate their employees to reduce instances of bullying and create a positive, collaborative working environment for all....more
Following the move to remote working during the COVID-19 pandemic, an interesting question arises as to whether we will also see a change in the nature and frequency of workplace bullying and harassment as well. We anticipate...more
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has published a fact sheet that addresses key issues intersex students face in schools and provides recommendations on how schools can support intersex...more
Welcome to the next post in our weekly series of hands-on guidance for UK HR professionals. In this series we look at common HR issues that you’ll encounter in the workplace and give you practical guidance on how to deal with...more
Title VI Obligations- School districts have an obligation under Title VI not to discriminate on the basis of race, color or national origin. They cannot intentionally discriminate – that is, for example, treat...more
On December 11, 2019, President Donald Trump signed an executive order declaring his administration’s commitment to enforcing federal racial anti-discrimination provisions against discrimination “rooted in anti-Semitism.”...more
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee (R) signed legislation on April 23 that would provide immunity from workplace bullying lawsuits for private employers who adopt the state’s model anti-bullying policy. This law, House Bill 856,...more
On October 19, Pa. Governor Tom Wolf signed into law the Timothy J. Piazza Antihazing Law, named for the Penn State student who lost his life in a fraternity hazing incident in early 2017....more
For the first time, a court used a civil rights law to hold a school district financially accountable in a case of student bullying. In the recent case of Cohen v. Philadelphia School District, the court awarded $500,000 to a...more
Hazing is often thought to be a university sports and Greek life problem, and bullying is often thought to be a grade school problem, but both occur at every level and within many different types of organizations....more
Russell Bittendender, et ux. v. Bangor Area School District, Case No. 15-6465 (E.D. Pa. 2017). The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania refused to dismiss a complaint alleging that a school...more
I hate bullies. Back in 4th grade, Sister Mary Demetria, OSF, told us that “hating” someone was a sin. I’m convinced Sister never met a bully. Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. Cause, you see, whenever I...more
In Stiles v. Granger County Board of Education, the United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed dismissal of a Title IX lawsuit against a public school district because the alleged victim of harassment and bullying...more
In Missouri, a 17-year-old student who was born male, but has identified as female since he was 13, chose to use the girls’ locker room during gym class. That decision sparked outrage in the school community and led to...more
The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, which is the federal appellate court with jurisdiction over Illinois, recently rejected an Indiana student’s claims against two school districts for allegedly improperly responding to...more
$4.48 million. That’s how much the Pine Bush School District in central-New York just agreed to pay to settle a lawsuit brought by a group of current and former students who alleged that school administrators were...more
Welcome to 2015 and the start of California’s Anti-Bullying Training Requirements. Employers of 50 or more in California must now add an “anti-bullying” training requirement to their training curriculum, which is required to...more
California Governor Jerry Brown signed AB 2053 into law this month amending Government Code Section 12950.1 to require employers to address “abusive conduct” in their mandatory workplace sexual harassment prevention training....more