New York workers who face abusive work environments would be allowed to file civil lawsuits against their employers and hold the employer vicariously liable for such work environments, according to a bill introduced in the state Assembly on Friday. Could.
AB 8906, which was referred to the state Labor Committee, would provide legal protections to employees who are victims of abusive behavior in the workplace who cannot establish that the behavior was motivated by race, color, sex, sexual orientation, national origin or age.
The bill states that legal protections from abusive work environments should not be limited to behavior based on class status protected by employment discrimination laws.
The bill states, “Existing workers’ compensation provisions and common law tort laws are inadequate to discourage such abuse or to provide adequate redress to employees who suffer harm from an abusive work environment.”
The bill defines an abusive work environment as “an employment condition when an employer or one or more of its employees, with the intent to cause pain or distress to an employee, exposes that employee to abusive conduct.” Those who subject them to physical harm, psychological harm, or both.”
The bill also provides legal incentives for employers to prevent and respond to abusive treatment of employees at work.
The Senate version was introduced on 13 January.
