Its the USA, we are all criminals here, just look at our prison population.

I get harrassed by my bosses all the time at work. You know what I did? Went out and found a new job, because it's the kind of harrassment that isn't illegal and shouldn't be - the kind that's a pain in the ass and makes going to work every day more of a chore than it should be. But it never crossed my mind to sue them about it, or lobby for a law to make it illegal. They don't like me, and I don't like them, we'll never see eye to eye, and that's the root of our tension. So I'm getting a new job, simple as that. Kinda what a normal person would do. Seriously, this is the kind of law that people take advantage of and kill small business.

I got harassed by my boss several years ago. He was a total dick and everyone hated him. One thing he didn't count on was the fact that you try to fuck with me I fight back. I think I really freaked him out when he started yelling at me over something stupid and I got right back in his face and told him off. I also had an assistant manager who pulled the same shit. He did a 180 when he pushed me to the point that I quit. I was getting my stuff out of my locker when he came back and, trying not to freak out and trying to get me to stay, without apologizing of course. I still laugh my ass off when I think about it. And just to let you know, both of these assholes are long gone, they both 'resigned' for one reason or another.

I think you're deliberately missing some points here.

While I generally agree that in theory this ought not be a legislative move, in practice I'm well aware that not everyone's HR department is helpful or accessible in any way. I also feel like it should be fairly obvious that the current economic state of the country (on top of an individual's possible economic state) often makes it a little less simple than "omgz get new jeorbs pussies!"

I don't think that our government should have to tell people to behave professionally in a professional environment. However, if an employee is getting penalized because his/her boss simply doesn't like him/her as a person and decides to harass him/her, and that person has no human resources people at said employer who will do anything about it, I don't think it's entirely off the wall to try to come up with possible legal protections against detrimentally-job-affecting unfair treatment.

And by the way, I don't know what the hell you do for a living, but actual depression and anxiety disorders as a result of your job aren't normal or acceptable things.

My boss can be a smart ass to us but you know what I do? I become a smart ass back to him. Granted this may not work with everybody,but it works fine for me.

Meh. Nation of sheep.

Work is called work for a reason- and they pay us for it for a reason...Every job is going to involve stress in some way or another. Most people are going to have to work with and under some other people...some of these people won't always be nice or fair people... THIS IS LIFE!!! either deal with it, or get a new job!!
I would tend to agree that is cases that get too out of hand, we already have laws against things such as assault. There is simply no need for more laws, and more government involvement in every facet of our lives

Oh...my...God.

Every single person I work with would be fired. In my field...exploitng the fears, insecurities & weaknesses of your co-workers is almost required.

If you don't believe government should have to tell people how to behave professionally, then why pass a law?

I loathe the idea of social engineering, and this is a prime example of it. Lawmakers love this shit because it gives them a cause to make speeches about. Media loves this shit because it gives them something to write about. Enough law already. We cannot engineer a better human race through more law. This is insanity, and it cannot work.

history proves you so wrong though! we shamed the workplace out of child labor and sexual harrassment and into workers rights and evening out the payscales between races and sexes. im not sure the bullying law will work, but your arguement sounds ridiculously retrogressive, like youd be arguing that women cant handle math in the '40s or that irishmen couldnt be professionals in the 1800s!

Well... you can change mores, folkways & norms...but you cannot change human nature.

agreed. ive had some jobs that were stressful because my boss was a crazy alcoholic, or micromanager, but i really dont have 'being bullied' experience to add to the table. and i know thats because i dont work in specific types of industries. (im thinkin sales or litigation, for example) that said, setting a tone for what norms should be to increase productivity and worker health in the workplace are good, on the whole.

Go to human resources, it's their job. If there is no human resource department, speak with your supervisor about the person. If that person happens to be your boss, speak to that person's boss. If people are not willing to do something about the issue, congratulations, you work for a bunch of assholes and it's time to find another place to work.

If the treatment falls under harassment, then there are already existing laws that will support you in such circumstances. Sue the ass off of the company for failing to provide a safe work environment.

But if someone's a dick? They're a dick - there isn't much you can do about it legally.

Actually, at 35 I can't just say "Well my boss is a dick, and I'll go make $900 a week elsewhere, and worry about rent next month! Poo poo on you, I quit!" There's stress and financial worry involved in the job search as well, followed by performance reviews and working one's way up a new totem pole. I certainly stand up for myself, but my boss is also the business owner, a bipolar, micromanaging asshole. He recently caused me to have an anxiety attack that landed me in the hospital. Now while I'll agree that government should not they themselves become arrogant micromanagers that litigate and legislate all aspects of society, it would certainly be nice to have laws in place that make people think twice about destructive behavior in the workplace. After all, calling a black man "the 'N' word" is illegal at the workplace. According to most of you however, if he complains, he's just a pussy. Life is tough, N****r, right?