Is harassment a problem in your workplace?

Harassment issues in the workplace aren’t limited to sexual harassment. Harassment can be sexual or nonsexual. It may include other forms of discrimination, such as harassing someone due to their age or disability.

It is unfair for workers to have to go through harassment on the job. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission makes it illegal to harass or discriminate against employees.

Unlawful harassment may or may not lead to economic injury

Unlike some kinds of cases, victims of harassment in the workplace do not need to show that they suffered an economic loss as a result of the actions taken against them. However, economic losses could be possible in wrongful termination cases or if someone has not been promoted or hired due to discrimination or harassment.

It’s also important to note that harassment may be happening without you really realizing it. While petty annoyances don’t constitute harassment, repeated instances of offensive conduct can. For example, making a single joke calling someone a “grandma” might not be enough for a worker to make a case, but if that worker is subjected to unfair and rude gestures day after day, then they may have a harassment case.

Do you have to be personally harassed to make a claim?

No, and this is also unique in this area of law. You don’t have to be harassed yourself to make a claim against a company for allowing harassment in the workplace. This is because all employees have a right to work in a safe, comfortable environment. If there is unwelcome harassment taking place, then that harassment may affect them simply by it causing drama in the workplace.

Employers have a responsibility to stop harassment when it occurs. While employees are encouraged to ask those who are harassing them to stop doing so, employers have the responsibility of putting a stop to that behavior as soon as possible.

Employers can be held liable for harassment if they do not stop it in the workplace. Anyone who feels that they are experiencing harassment should make sure to get more information on making a claim and start gathering documentation of the offensive actions that they want to make a claim for.