NIH to require grantees report instances of bullying, harassment, hostile working conditions

On May 10, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced they are implementing new reporting requirements for grantees and findings of harassment, bullying, retaliation, or creating hostile working conditions. Within the fiscal year (FY) 2022 appropriations bills, Congress directed the agency to require institutions that receive funds through a grant or cooperative agreement to notify NIH when individuals identified as a principal investigator (PI) or as other key personnel are removed from their position or otherwise disciplined due to concerns with harassment, bullying, retaliation, or hostile working conditions. Previously, NIH required notice when PIs or other key personnel were disciplined due to findings of sexual harassment, but this requirement goes further. According to NIH, institutions will be required to notify the agency within 30 days of the removal or disciplinary action taken. “No one should ever have to endure harassment to contribute to biomedical research. Wherever NIH research activities take place, our priority will always be to do what we can to eliminate harassment,” stated acting NIH Director Lawrence A. Tabak.

The full NIH statement is here. The NIH Safe and Respectful Workplace website is here. The NIH Anti-Sexual Harassment website is here.