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We put on a seminar for clients (and others) last Thursday on Bill 168. It was really well attended so thanks to all those who came out and I hope you found it of value in getting everything buttoned down for June 15, 2010.

I read a really interesting article in the Wall Street Journal Who's afraid of the big, bad boss? that was fascinating in the shadow of Bill 168 and other such Canadian legislation.   According to the article, the New York Bill (which is not law):

New York's anti-bullying bill defines bullying broadly and includes the repeated use of derogatory remarks, insults and epithets, as well as conduct that a "reasonable person" would find threatening, intimidating or humiliating.

Some of the comments and observations in the article were eye-opening. 

I've written before (here, here, here and here) about the office jerk and not dealing with him/her and about the best-titled book I've seen in recent memory -The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't by Bob Sutton whose blog, Work Matters, is just a great read. 

One of the fears expressed at our seminar was "how far the harassment provisions in Bill 168 go?"  Pretty far and while normal performance management, for example, is not captured (even according to the Ministry) harassing behaviour, that comes within the broad definition in the Bill, would, of course, be.

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