We're looking to target specific Virginia state legislators to introduce the Workplace Psychological Safety Act in Virginia.

The Workplace Psychological Safety Act (bill language) would provide much-needed protections, as psychologically abused workers currently have zero recourse under law unless they can tie it to anti-discrimination law, which has been watered down over the years.

Workplace psychological abuse (bullying and mobbing) is a misuse of power that violates employees' right to psychological safety. Employers face no liability for psychological harm and have little incentive to address it.

• This abuse is linked to serious health issues and is four times more common than sexual harassment, affecting over 60 million U.S. workers in 2017. It stems from implicit bias, which anti-discrimination laws have failed to address since courts shifted focus from impact to intent in the ’90s.

• The consequences are severe, contributing to thousands of preventable deaths. Stanford professor Jeffrey Pfeffer estimates that nearly half of workplace-related deaths and a third of associated costs could be avoided with better policies.

• Businesses suffer as well, with stress-related losses amounting to $500 billion annually. Workplace stress leads to massive absenteeism, reduced productivity, and increased accidents, making it a costly public health crisis.