Posts Tagged → workplace harassment
Don’t Lose Your Job to a Workplace Harassment Law — What You Must Know to Keep Your Job
If you, as an employee, instigate what turns out to be a hostile work environment, it is possible that you could be in serious trouble for breaking a workplace harassment law… and, innocently, you had no idea that you did that.
By definition, harassment in the workplace is an act that leads to an environment that that has become hostile. That is a rather general term, and perhaps that is why so many people do not realize how much trouble they could get it by saying the wrong thing to the wrong person. Of course, there are some people who know exactly what they are doing, mean to start trouble and should have the book thrown at them.
This article mainly concerns those who mean well, and want to stay out of trouble; be a good coworker and do the right thing. You might have a good friend outside of work, or at work, who’s of a different religion or ethnic background, who you kid around with, both ways, about such differences.
That would be between you two; try that at work with someone else and you could lose your job. It’s common sense but a lot of people just do not get it, even if they’re well-meaning.
This applies to many areas, or differences among us, in addition to race and religion: well, actually just about anything. Someone’s physical appearance, the way they dress, their sexuality; seriously, even the sports team they root for. You could be asking for trouble with overt, overbearing displays of racial and religious pride, or gay rights.
Keep in mind that your company’s implementation of any workplace harassment law, as annoying as it might seem is meant to keep peace in the working neighborhood. Just keep your nose clean, and if one of your coworkers has a big one, and you can’t resist letting them know, make sure you know them well. Then whisper it!
If you are having problems with workplace harassment, The Undercover Lawyer can help. Click Here To See!
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You Could Lose Your Job Because of Your Company’s Workplace Harassment Laws
Legally, the definition of workplace harassment is simply an act that will lead to a workplace environment that is hostile. It does not have to be a serious act, it could be something as minor as calling someone a supposedly harmless name, the wrong name, and you can imagine what I meant by that. That kind of behavior has become epidemic in many in many workplaces in the past decades. Consequently, the enactment of nationwide workplace harassment laws.
It would be something most would agree is quite serious; such as a racial epithet, marking fun of a person’s religion, a joke or a rant about someone’s sexual orientation. It seems to some that it goes on forever; that you can’t say anything to anyone these days without running it by your lawyer.
As ridiculous as some people think certain harassment laws are, it is fair to say that these laws, to a significant degree, make a lot of sense. For example, such harassment, or bad taste humor, could seriously affect someone’s job promotion; or even result in their firing through nasty untrue rumors. It could be psychologically damaging, which could be worse than losing their job. You certainly would not want to be on the receiving end of that.
And according to most harassment laws, all this is not just focused on bad taste jokes, obscenity, or threats. There are certain fighting words, keywords; such as feminism, black power and gay rights, which could be used against someone in a very negative tone. That might be all that it takes.
Even something as well-meaning and simple, to some at least, as broadcasting a Catholic prayer, through the company’s PA system close to Christmas Day could be seen as harassment. That would be because it would be interpreted by some as a display of religious preference on the job.
The implementation of your companies workplace harassment laws, therefore, are meant to protect both the majority and minority. They serve as the deterrent to future discriminatory actions by fellow employees, or the company itself.
Yes, many of us would probably think that some of this is nonsense, and probably be correct, but overall it makes significant sense; within reason. Especially if you consider that you could be such a victim some day. And that day you would then be protected.
Are you having problems on the job with an unreasonable boss? The Undercover Lawyer may be able to help. Check him out here!
