Acker + Associates P.C. Attorneys

China's Foxconn International Holding Ltd., the world's largest contract maker of electronics including the iphone, has asked its employees to sign pledges not to commit suicide.  The request is in response to the nine suicides by employees of the company this year.  (I will avoid wading through enforcement issues of violating such a pledge.)  Apparently, Foxconn is redefining hostile work environment.  In Oregon, a hostile working environment is defined as an atmosphere contaminated by a pattern of offensive conduct directed at an individual's protected class status.  Conduct may be of a verbal or physical nature that is sufficiently severe or pervasive to have the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.  I recommend seeking legal assistance before doing anything drastic in response to a hostile work environment.