Bill > S01893

This bill establishes the New York Workplace Bullying Prevention Act, which creates a civil cause of action for employees who are subjected to an abusive work environment. The legislation defines "abusive conduct" as actions that a reasonable person would find abusive, including repeated verbal abuse, threatening or humiliating behavior, and undermining work performance. The bill requires employers to be vicariously liable for creating or allowing an abusive work environment, and provides employees with the right to seek legal remedies including reinstatement, lost wages, medical expenses, compensation for emotional distress, and punitive damages. To prove a case, employees must demonstrate they were subjected to abusive conduct, suffered physical or mental injury, and can show a causal connection between the abuse and their injuries. The bill aims to protect workers by providing legal recourse for workplace bullying that is not currently covered by existing discrimination laws, and it applies to abusive conduct occurring on or after the act's effective date. Employees must file civil actions within one year of the last abusive act, and the law does not interfere with collective bargaining agreements that provide greater protections. The legislation recognizes that workplace bullying can cause significant psychological and physical harm to employees and seeks to incentivize employers to prevent and address such behavior.

Labor and Employment

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S1893