Vermont’s House & Senate has sent a bill, S.103 to Governor Scott’s desk for his signature. It changes the definition of harassment in the workplace in the Fair Employment Practices Act, reducing ambiguity. Annie Harb, Associate, was interviewed by WCAX where she explained a “major change is the dropping of the ‘severe and pervasive’ requirement.” Moving forward, a single act of harassment can be considered actionable. This change meets the standards already upheld by New York, Delaware, California, and Washington.
Employers are advised to take complaints seriously, investigate thoroughly, but more importantly, to provide comprehensive training to their employees regarding how to operate within a safe & respectful workplace.
