Bullying in the Workplace

Is There Any Recourse for An Employee Being “Bullied” In the Workplace?

Workplace bullying comes in the form of:

  • Verbal abuse.
  • Offensive behaviors that are threatening, humiliating or intimidating.
  • Work interference or sabotage that prevents work from getting done.

Workplace bullying can be by one person or by a “mob” (this generally includes peers of the offender or those that think that assisting in the bullying will gain them favor with the perpetrator).

Some examples of common tactics used by workplace bullies are:

  • Falsely accusing someone of errors the person didn’t actually make.
  • Hostilely staring at an employee or nonverbal intimidation.
  • Unjustly discounting the person’s thoughts or feelings in front of others.
  • Using the “silent treatment.” Refusing to acknowledge the person or say hello or goodbye.
  • Making up rules for specific people.
  • Disregarding and discrediting satisfactory work.
  • Harshly and constantly criticizing the person.
  • Starting, or failing to stop, destructive rumors or gossip about the person.
  • Encouraging people to turn against the person being tormented.
  • Singling out and isolating one person from other co-workers, either socially or physically.
  • Yelling, screaming or throwing tantrums in front of other colleagues to humiliate someone.

How We Can Help You; Recourse for Employees Being Bullied in the Workplace:

Our firm has experience raising and resolving situations in which employees are being bullied in the workplace. While the laws have not been passed to protect most targets of bullying, there are creative alternatives to assist employees in empowering themselves, standing up and fighting back against bullies. Here are a few that we employ:

  1. Raise Claims of Discrimination, if applicable.
  2. Check the Employee Handbook for an Anti-Bullying Policy.
  3. If there is No Anti-Bullying Provision in the Employee Handbook, Check for an Anti-Harassment Provision.
  4. Check for a Policy on Workplace Violence.
  5. If There Are No Policies to Protect Against Bullying, Consider Raising Concerns Anyway.
  6. Consider Raising Concerns to the Very Top.

Don’t continue to be a victim! For more information or to find out how we can better assist you with your personal situation, contact Sheree Donath.