Understanding what is happening to you can help when broaching the subject with the HR department. Harassment in the workplace may or may not have physical evidence. “If you know someone who is being harassed at work, you cannot lose your job by reporting it yourself.” “Not only are you protected from the person harassing you, you are also protected from your employer failing to protect you,” Garvin said. If you’re worried about losing your job in retaliation, remember that you’re protected by workplace harassment laws. If you witness a crime or experience harassment in the workplace, it is your obligation to report it. Workplace harassment is a serious issue with a lot of gray areas. Unlawful harassment may occur without economic injury to or discharge of the victim.įirst and foremost, it is critical to know when you are being harassed at work, said Becca Garvin, executive search consultant at Find Great People.The victim does not have to be the person harassed it could be anyone affected by the offensive conduct.The harasser could be the victim’s supervisor, a supervisor in another area, an agent of the employer, a co-worker or a non-employee.Harassment also occurs in a variety of circumstances, such as these: What constitutes workplace harassment?Īccording to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), harassment can include “offensive jokes, slurs, epithets or name calling, physical assaults or threats, intimidation, ridicule or mockery, insults or put-downs, offensive objects or pictures, and interference with work performance.” They not only affect an employee’s productivity, comfort and safety at work, but they can also expose an organization to legal liability if it does not handle harassment properly. All types of workplace harassment are illegal. While the most basic types of harassment are verbal and psychological, there are also more serious forms, such as physical and sexual. By creating a workplace harassment policy, you can take the necessary steps to create a safe working environment for all your employees. From bullying to outright discrimination, it’s important to understand workplace harassment so you can avoid a hostile work environment in your small business. Workplace harassment exists throughout all types of workplaces in the U.S. This article is for employees who feel they or a colleague may be experiencing workplace harassment, as well as business leaders who want to ensure their employees’ safety within the work environment.If you think you’ve been experiencing workplace harassment, make sure that you contact your human resources department as soon as possible to protect yourself.It’s not just women who are impacted by workplace harassment.Workplace harassment can include physical, verbal, sexual and emotional harassment.

Mental harassment at workplace by boss