SB834 improves Maryland’s law on sexual harassment in the workplace.
This bill would effectively repeal dated and offensive case law that limits access to justice for employees who have been sexually harassed and replace it with a modern and reasonable definition.
Courts have interpreted sexual harassment law as prohibiting creation of a "hostile workplace environment", defined as harassing conduct so severe or pervasive that it creates an intimidating, hostile, or abusive work environment. Far too often, lower courts have interpreted the “hostile work environment” standard very narrowly, so truly egregious conduct is not considered “severe or pervasive.”
Senate Bill 834 seeks to correct this by providing statutory definitions of “SEXUAL HARASSMENT” and “HARASSMENT” that repeal the requirement that the conduct be “severe or pervasive” and directs the court to examine the “totality of the circumstances”.
This would help both employers and employees by clarifying the law and helping prevent and respond to sexual harassment. SB834 does not create a code of civility or address bullying, instead, it simply brings our code in line with the reasonable expectations people have in a modern workplace.
SB834 has passed the Senate.
Please urge members of the House Economic Matters Committee to support SB834 and bring this important bill to a vote.
MARYLAND HOUSE ECONOMICS MATTERS COMMITTEE
Leadership:
Dereck E. Davis, Chair (District 25, Prince George's County)
Phone: (410) 841-3519 | (301) 858-3519
E-mail: [email protected]
Kathleen M. Dumais, Vice Chair (District 15, Montgomery County)
Phone: (410) 841-3052 | (301) 858-3052
E-mail: [email protected]
Members:
Christopher T. Adams (District 37B, Caroline, Dorchester, Talbot, & Wicomico Counties)
Phone: (410) 841-3343 | (301) 858-3343
E-mail: [email protected]
Steven J. Arentz (District 36, Caroline, Cecil, Kent & Queen Anne's Counties)
Phone: (410) 841-3543 | (301) 858-3543
E-mail: [email protected]
Talmadge Branch (Democrat, District 45, Baltimore City)
Phone: (410) 841-3398 | (301) 858-3398
E-mail: [email protected]
Benjamin T. Brooks, Sr. (District 10, Baltimore County)
Phone: (410) 841-3352 | (301) 858-3352
E-mail: [email protected]
Edward P. (Ned) Carey (District 31A, Anne Arundel County)
Phone: (410) 841-3047 | (301) 858-3047
E-mail: [email protected]
Lorig Charkoudian (District 20, Montgomery County)
Phone: (410) 841-3423 | (301) 858-3423
E-mail: [email protected]
Brian M. Crosby (District 29B, St. Mary's County)
Phone: (410) 841-3227 | (301) 858-3227
E-mail: [email protected]
Diana M. Fennell (District 47A, Prince George's County)
Phone: (410) 841-3478 | (301) 858-3478
E-mail: [email protected]
Mark N. Fisher (District 27C, Calvert County)
Phone: (410) 841-3231 | (301) 858-3231
E-mail: [email protected]
Seth Howard (District 30B, Anne Arundel County)
Phone: (410) 841-3439 | (301) 858-3439
E-mail: [email protected]
Richard K. Impallaria (District 7, Baltimore County & Harford County)
Phone: (410) 841-3289 | (301) 858-3289
E-mail: [email protected]
Carl W. Jackson (District 8, Baltimore County)
Phone: (410) 841-3766 | (301) 858-3766
E-mail: [email protected]
John F. Mautz IV (District 37B, Caroline, Dorchester, Talbot, & Wicomico Counties)
Phone: (410) 841-3429 | (301) 858-3429
E-mail: [email protected]
Jesse T. Pippy (District 4, Carroll & Frederick Counties)
Phone: (410) 841-3118 | (301) 858-3118
E-mail: [email protected]
Lily Qi (District 15, Montgomery County)
Phone: (410) 841-3090 | (301) 858-3090
E-mail: [email protected]
Pamela E. Queen (District 14, Montgomery County)
Phone: (410) 841-3380 | (301) 858-3380
E-mail: [email protected]
Michael J. Rogers (District 32, Anne Arundel County)
Phone: (410) 841-3372 | (301) 858-3372
E-mail: [email protected]
Veronica L. Turner (District 26, Prince George's County)
Phone: (410) 841-3212 | (301) 858-3212
E-mail: [email protected]
Kriselda Valderrama (District 26, Prince George's County)
Phone: (410) 841-3210 | (301) 858-3210
E-mail: [email protected]
Jay Walker (District 26, Prince George's County)
Phone: (410) 841-3581 | (301) 858-3581
E-mail: [email protected]
M. Courtney Watson (District 9B, Howard County)
Phone: (410) 841-3077 | (301) 858-3077
E-mail: [email protected]
C. T. Wilson (District 28, Charles County)
Phone: (410) 841-3325 | (301) 858-3325
E-mail: [email protected]
