STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 6438 IN SENATE January 13, 2016 ___________ Introduced by Sen. SANDERS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Labor AN ACT to amend the labor law, in relation to establishing healthy work- places The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The labor law is amended by adding a new article 20-D to 2 read as follows: 3 ARTICLE 20-D 4 HEALTHY WORKPLACES 5 Section 760. Legislative findings and intent. 6 761. Definitions. 7 762. Abusive work environment. 8 763. Employer liability. 9 764. Employee liability. 10 765. Affirmative defenses. 11 766. Remedies. 12 767. Enforcement. 13 768. Effect on collective bargaining agreements. 14 769. Effect of other laws. 15 § 760. Legislative findings and intent. The legislature hereby finds 16 that the social and economic well-being of the state is dependent upon 17 healthy and productive employees. At least one-third of all employees 18 directly experience health endangering workplace bullying, abuse and 19 harassment during their working lives. Such form of mistreatment is 20 four times more prevalent than sexual harassment alone. Workplace 21 bullying, mobbing and harassment can inflict serious harm upon targeted 22 employees, including feelings of shame and humiliation, severe anxiety, 23 depression, suicidal tendencies, impaired immune systems, hypertension, 24 increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and symptoms consistent with 25 post-traumatic stress disorder. 26 Furthermore, the legislature finds that abusive work environments can 27 have serious consequences for employers, including reduced employee EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD07296-01-5