Janice F. Caramanica
Associate Director
Office of Civil Rights, U.S. Department of State
FAPAC in Atlanta, GA
May 2, 2012
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Yelling, verbal abuse, intimidation
Personal attacks, humiliation, insults, mocking,
demeaning behavior
Backstabbing, spreading rumors/gossip, lying
Invasion of personal space, asking
inappropriate personal information ,
eavesdropping on conversations
False accusations, blaming, taking undeserved
credit, deflecting deserved criticism
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In entertainment (Hollywood, film, TV, music?)
In the international arena (Middle East,
Europe, Africa)?
In the domestic news (on-line, on Facebook)?
In education (Rutgers, high schools, middle
schools)?
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Judge Doom, “Who Framed Roger Rabbit
(Touchstone)
Vincent (Bear), “Over the Hedge” (Dreamworks)
The grasshoppers, “A Bug’s Life (Disney Pixar)
Sid, “Toy Story” (Disney {Pixar)
Angelica, “Rugrats” (Nickelodeon)
Biff Tannen, “Back to the Future” (Universal Pictures)
The Alpha Betas, “Revenge of the Nerds” (20th Century
Fox)
Nurse Ratchet, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”
(United Artists, based on the book by Ken Kesey)
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“Bullying is the operation of the American
normative code so that insiders can
maintain their control (often through
surrogates), outliers can be ostracized,
and the majority can be kept in line.”
-- Stanton Peele
Psychology Today, March 14, 2011
http://www.psychologytoday.com/note/57044
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“Bullying is persistent unwelcome
behaviour, mostly using unwarranted or
invalid criticism, nit-picking, fault-finding,
also exclusion, isolation, being singled out
and treated differently, being shouted at,
humiliated, excessive monitoring, having
verbal and written warnings imposed, and
much more.”
-- Author Unidentified
http://www.bullyonline.org/workbully/bully.htm
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“…[P]ersistent, offensive abusive,
intimidating, malicious or insulting
behavior, including abuse of power, which
causes the recipient to suffer stress…. [T]he
adult bully most often picks on his victim as
a result of some perceived weakness that
he/she thinks can be exploited.”
--Pauline Rennie Peyton
“Impact, Not Intention: On Bullying in the Workplace”
http://www.imdiversity.com/villages/careers/articles/peyton_workplace_bullying.asp
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Have you ever worked with a Bully?
How do you know the person was a Bully?
What actions/behaviors distinguished this person
as a Bully?
Did management know?
How long did the behavior go on?
What happened ultimately to the Bully? To the
“victim”?
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In fiction, bullying is not tolerated; Message:
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Bullies always get theirs.
What goes around comes around.
Karma happens.
In reality, it is tolerated, and occasionally,
rewarded by those who focus on results, not on
methods (or who don’t know about the
methods). (“Ends justify the means.”)
Inconsistent messages.
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Harassment is –
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Unwelcome conduct that is based on race, color, religion,
sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older),
disability or genetic information.
Harassment becomes unlawful where 1) enduring the
offensive conduct becomes a condition of continued
employment, or 2) the conduct is severe or pervasive
enough to create a work environment that a reasonable
person would consider intimidating, hostile, or abusive.
Anti-discrimination laws also prohibit harassment against
individuals in retaliation for filing a discrimination charge,
testifying, or participating in any way in an investigation,
proceeding, or lawsuit under these laws; or opposing
employment practices that they reasonably believe
discriminate against individuals, in violation of these laws.
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Offensive conduct may include, but is not limited to,
offensive jokes, slurs, epithets or name calling, physical
assaults or threats, intimidation, ridicule or mockery,
insults or put-downs, offensive objects or pictures, and
interference with work performance. Harassment can
occur in a variety of circumstances, including, but not
limited to, the following:
The harasser can be the victim's supervisor, a
supervisor in another area, an agent of the employer, a
co-worker, or a non-employee.
The victim does not have to be the person harassed, but
can be anyone affected by the offensive conduct.
Unlawful harassment may occur without economic
injury to, or discharge of, the victim.
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Yelling, verbal abuse, intimidation of an
individual/individuals due to discriminatory
animus
Personal attacks, humiliation, insults, name
calling, taunting, using loaded language
implicating hostility to a protected class
Invading personal space, asking inappropriate
personal information, using private e-mail
address or personal phone to communicate
with no underlying work-related purposes due
to discriminatory animus
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What’s the difference between
BULLYING
and
HARASSMENT
in the workplace?
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Bullying creeps into the EEO arena
masquerading as “harassment.”
Increase in workload, implications for EEO
office resources.
We need a proactive strategy.
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Identify the problem and the ABB or
ABB behavior at issue.
1.
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A workplace that is experiencing absenteeism, high
turnover, and/or decreased productivity may be
attributable to one or more ABBs in the workplace.
Conduct a management inquiry or “workplace
survey.”
ABBs only continue their behavior until they attract
negative attention from higher management.
If appropriate, refer to HR/IG/Security/other.
Establish an effective working relationship with
these professionals. They can be some of your
biggest allies.
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Get commitment from Leadership to
eliminate workplace ABB behavior.
2.
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Workplace atmospherics start at The Top.
Upcoming Administration change provides an
opportunity to get Leadership on board with this
concept from Day 1 (January 21, 2013).
The Washington Post test: How would public
opinion judge the workplace if all relevant facts
were known? [What impact have the recent Secret
Service and GSA conference scandals had on public
opinion of those entities?]
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Issue a workplace announcement that
specifies unacceptable behaviors.
3.
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Similar to the Diversity Statement and AntiHarassment Statement mandated by EEOC to be
issued annually by the head of agency.
Specify what behaviors are not acceptable: for
example, “The following behaviors, taken in anger
or frustration, are not acceptable: shouting,
invading personal space, poking or jabbing, use of
vulgar, mean-spirited, or insulting language.”
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Ensure follow-up with consequences!
4.
Work collaboratively with other elements of the
agency to achieve the following goals:
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Document inappropriate behaviors in performance
evaluations as inappropriate inter-personal
interactions.
Require that successive levels of management affirm
compliance at lower levels.
Go through progressive discipline, beginning at the
lowest possible level.
Ensure consistent treatment – no “special”
exceptions!
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Offer help/instruction for offenders and
protection for witnesses/victims.
5.
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Enlist Employee Consultation Services to establish
or increase frequency of anger/stress management
sessions.
Get managers and employees training to address
the root of the problem, whatever it is. (Poor
communication skills? Managing unrealistic
leadership expectations? Discriminatory animus?)
The root of the problem will suggest the office with
proper jurisdiction.
Monitor progress & acknowledge improvement.
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Permit individuals to express opinions without
attributing “fault”; emphasize that one can
disagree without being disagreeable.
Encourage transparency in matters that affect
perks and bennies.
Respect confidentiality, especially in matters of
health, medical, and family matters: in certain
circumstances, disclosure may violate legal
privacy protections. Seek express permission
before sharing information with the group.
Practice patience, courage, and humility.
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