Bacon's Rebellion

Democracy Thrives in Sunlight

Bacon Bits: Bills of Interest

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by

James A. Bacon
in

More transparency for land-use proceedings (HB 626).

Submitted by Del. Danica Roem, D-Manassas Park. Alters land use disclosure requirements applicable to boards of supervisors, planning commissions and boards of zoning appeals by broadening the language from “relationship of employee-employer, agent-principal, or attorney-client” to “business or financial interest.” The same change is made to existing provisions that currently apply only to Loudoun County but will now apply statewide.

Comment: Good. The more transparency in land-use governance the better. The additional disclosure should not prove burdensome.

Anti-harassment mandate. (HB 757). Submitted by Del. Paul E. Krizek, D-Alexandria. Requires each employer with five or more employees to provide training for sexual harassment and workplace discrimination. The training required under the bill must be provided by an educator or human resources professional.

Comment: Bad. Says Hans Bader: “Requiring an hour of anti-harassment training for all employees by a human resources professional is likely to be a pain for small employers that don’t have human resource departments. (Two hours are required for supervisors).”

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15 responses to “Bacon Bits: Bills of Interest”

  1. WayneS Avatar
    WayneS

    I agree with your assessments of both bills.

    1. Mom Avatar
      Mom

      Here, here, it will be interesting to see where Larry and Nancy fall. Might we for once have bi-partisan, non-partisan support, the world awaits their input with baited breath.

      1. dave schutz Avatar
        dave schutz

        ” input with baited breath.” The idea of baiting breath in interesting. Altoids? Maraschino cherries? Listerine?

        1. Mom Avatar
          Mom

          Bourbon

        2. Nancy Naive Avatar
          Nancy Naive

          Worm on tongue.

    2. dave schutz Avatar
      dave schutz

      Now retired, and I sat through many anti-harassment sessions in my time. They were generally mocked in the break room, and I think they were counterproductive – and expensive! Not just the presenter, but the lost staff time.

    3. Nancy Naive Avatar
      Nancy Naive

      How ’bout hands-on training?

    4. Nancy Naive Avatar
      Nancy Naive

      How ’bout hands-on training?

  2. Eric the half a troll Avatar
    Eric the half a troll

    I’d say 1. Good and 2. Meh…

    1. Nancy Naive Avatar
      Nancy Naive

      Hands on?

  3. walter smith Avatar
    walter smith

    Training is BS. A waste of time for a big company, and ridiculous for a company of 5 employees. I think the legislators should be required to sit through 40 hours of training on all the requirements they presently impose on business, and then have to file a bond for any proposed bill and unintended consequences…

  4. dick dyas Avatar
    dick dyas

    This is okay if the county pays for it. Otherwise, no.

  5. Nancy Naive Avatar
    Nancy Naive

    Sexual harassment training can, and should be done in 5 minutes when the employee shows up day one. “Don’t do it!” The abbreviated course is “Don’t!”

    Any employer worth his salt will address the issue, hand out a two-page “don’t do it” self training pamphlet, and get a signed memo of understanding. It still won’t provide cover when the company is sued because a manager gropes any employee at the Xmas party but it might reduce the jury award.

    The problem with sexual harassment training is it doesn’t make the harasser any better at it, and it doesn’t prevent it. You just need to establish a policy for addressing it, and then enforce it.

    1. Dick Hall-Sizemore Avatar
      Dick Hall-Sizemore

      This was basically my reaction. I have sat through annual mandated training sessions other subjects and they were basically a waste of time and everyone knew it. What needs to be done is exactly what you say: make it clear to all employees what the policy is and then enforce it. A couple of firings resulting from sexual harassment will get the message across.

    2. Merchantseamen Avatar
      Merchantseamen

      Well said. I fired more than one for teasing/bullying and just one for “inappropriate behavior”. Call it what it was sexual misconduct of a threatening nature. She did not pursue it with the “authorities”. However I think they got the message about that clown.

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