Stuck in jobs, more workers bullied by bosses: expert The recession is creating a "blank check" for office bullies, according to a workplace advocate. Shrinking job markets make a bad situation worse for victims, said Gary Namie, director of the Workplace Bullying Institute, an advocacy group. Namie is the author of the "The Bully at Work." It was originally published in 2000, with an updated version released this June. The "absolute control of an employer is more apparent in a recession," he said.