Employees who protect themselves from attacks in the workplace cannot be fired by the House Judiciary Committee under an advanced bill.
House Bill 5621 says that anyone who is physically attacked by an workplace intruder and responds with proper and proportional force – including possible use of fatal forces – to defend themselves or others cannot be punished or removed for their actions. Bill self -defense is not only being actually being attacked, but also allows for examples of a proper apprehension about being attacked.
Laura Kimble
“I think it would assure the employees from there that they can defend themselves,” the bill’s leading sponsor R-Hyrison, Delegate Laura Kimble said. “They don’t need to take it just because they are worried about their jobs.”
The representatives of the judiciary committee worked on several amendments to try to refine the bill before pushing it forward. Most of the members of the committee agreed that the bill was better after his work.
Joy Garcia
“I think this is a very big example of this committee working together, trying to see what the bill issues can be and can try to overcome them,” Day-Marion, D-Hariyan said.
He described the case law of Martinsburg Facilitation Store Clerk, which was at work in 2000 when a woman wore a mask and pointed to a gun and demanded the store’s money. While the employees vacated the cash register, the clerk caught the woman, dismissed her and stopped her until the law enforcement officers arrived.
The clerk was fired for failure to follow a corporate policy, in which workers were stopped from interfering in a store robbery.
“I think this bill actually explains someone’s ability when they face this type of situation, to save themselves,” Garcia said. “I think this is a very good bill. I support this. ,
Carl martin
Delegate Carl Martin, R-Apasura, expressed doubts whether the bill would protect workers according to its declared target.
“We are an at-wil employment state. If an employer wants to fire someone other than breed, religion, sex – I think it is their right. I don’t think this bill will actually do anything. I think an employer will set anyone on fire for any reason. I don’t think it fulfills the intention of the bill. ,