NFIB/NH: Vague Bullying Laws Would Invite Baseless Suits
www.NFIB.com
For Immediate Release
Contact: Bruce Berke (603-496-8092)
Kelly Hoffman (202-314-2054) or [email protected]
NFIB/NH: Vague Bullying Laws Would Invite Baseless Suits
Concord (September 15, 2014) – Today the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) urged the state legislature to uphold Governor Maggie Hassan’s vetoing of HB 591, which spares state government and perhaps small businesses in New Hampshire in the future from government micromanagement and a potential torrent of frivolous lawsuits.
“Earlier this summer Governor Hassan made the right decision for New Hampshire’s small business community and for the state’s economy when she vetoed HB 591,” said NFIB State Director Bruce Berke. “HB 591 defined bullying so vaguely that it would have inevitably led to a dramatic increase in frivolous lawsuits in state government. Ultimately these onerous regulations would have headed straight towards the small business community.”
“Trial lawyers and their wallets are the only people who would have benefited from this legislation,” he said. “This bill would have made every-day decisions and ordinary employee relations much riskier for small business owners.”
Most small business owners do not have in-house counsels and already have to spend time away from their business navigating a complicated judicial process on their own. In fact, being dragged into court is already one of the biggest financial risks for small businesses.
“One lawsuit can wipe out a small business even if the owner is completely without fault,” said Berke. “Even if you’re exonerated in court you still have to pay legal fees that could run into the tens of thousands of dollars. This bill may have made that risk higher and it would have done very little, if anything, to prevent real workplace bullying.
“NFIB continues to support Governor Hassan’s veto and we urge New Hampshire’s legislative bodies to do the same.”
Learn more about NFIB at www.nfib.com.
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