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Safety Net Project

The Safety Net Project is designed to provide assistance to workers who are suffering from severe stress, anxiety, and even psychiatric illness caused or aggravated by abusive work environments.

Workers who have been subjected to severe bullying, mobbing, and harassment at work often suffer from physical and mental health impairments. At times they may be unable to work, and they may believe that they can no longer tolerate the abuse. In sorting through their situations and options, all too often they must navigate a bewildering array of employer and government provided benefit programs as they attempt to get to a better place.

Health insurance coverage for mental health treatment, workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance, and disability payments are foremost among the benefits and programs that have separate, often confusing application procedures and eligibility requirements.

In addition, individuals who seek new jobs or even new careers after being mistreated at work often do not know where to turn for coaching, counseling, and advice.

Through the Safety Net Project, the New Workplace Institute is attempting to address this problem in three parts:

• First, we will develop public education materials designed to help workers sort through their options
• Second, we will apply for grant funding to staff an advice service for workers who are experiencing these situations
• Third, we will research and develop a public policy and law reform agenda to improve access to needed assistance.

Initially, these efforts will be concentrated on Massachusetts, serving as a pilot model for development of similar assistance programs in others areas.

At this juncture we regret that we are unable to provide individual counseling and advice.