Declarations – Midwest

The Domino Effect

“Once it passes in a few states, there will be a chain reaction.”

—Sharon Parella, a management-side employment lawyer, believes on-the-job bullying could become the next major battleground in employment law and that it’s only a matter of time before states begin passing anti-bullying laws that would let workers sue for harassment that causes physical or emotional harm.

Alternative Methods

“There are other ways to influence our culture, to teach people that texting while driving is not socially accepted.”

—South Dakota Rep. Jon Hansen, R-Dell Rapids, after a state legislative committee killed a bill that would have banned texting while driving statewide. Committee members cited a study by the Governors Highway Safety Association that said it isn’t clear whether texting bans have lowered crash rates in the 39 states that have them. No one testified against the bill, which previously passed the Senate.

Staying Put

“Our headquarters are remaining in Bloomington – they are here and they will be here.

—State Farm Insurance Co. spokeswoman Holly Anderson said the company is not moving its headquarters from Bloomington, Ill., despite recent media reports that it is adding major office space in Dallas, Atlanta and Phoenix. She did confirm that State Farm is adding to existing office space in those three cities. State Farm employs about 15,000 people in Bloomington and is one of the state’s largest private employers.