3 FAM 1540: Tribulations, Bullying, & Accountability

This new State Department policy appears to encourage formal reporting by employees only of behavior that constitutes workplace "misconduct" and could ultimately result in discipline. It discourages formal reporting of what it calls "the ordinary tribulations of the workplace" and instead mandates communication in writing about such ordinary tribulations. It also discourages the use of the words "bullying" and "workplace conflict," stating: “Euphemisms generally, and euphemisms for misconduct in particular, such as ‘bullying’ or ‘workplace conflict’ are a form of dissembling.” Though it is not entirely clear, the rule also seems to discourage alternative dispute resolution for at least some types of behaviors or issues.