You don’t have to put up with a hostile work environment

You don’t have to put up with a hostile work environment

On Behalf of | Aug 16, 2022 | Discrimination

If you hate going to work because your coworkers are rude to you or you believe that people are acting in an unsafe way, it’s reasonable for you to bring your concerns to your managers or employer. It is important that they take you seriously and give you the opportunity work in an environment free from discrimination, harassment and other concerns.

Your employer has a responsibility to provide you with a safe, respectful environment. If you are dealing with harassment or other issues, then you may be dealing with a hostile work environment and one that is not allowed by law.

What do you need to do if you’re dealing with a hostile environment in your workplace?

If you’re working in a hostile environment, you have a few options you could consider. One is to go to your manager or supervisor. Another is to talk to the human resources department. A third is to speak with an attorney about your legal rights.

It’s usually a good idea to start with speaking with management and then to work your way up the chain so there is good evidence of you trying to resolve the problems.

Another thing to do is to keep records as well as you can. Copy yourself in on emails sent to you that you feel are hostile. Keep notes on the dates and times of events that happened that you were unhappy about. All of these notes, along with witness statements, could help you prove your case and push for real change in your workplace.

What do you do if the human resources department or your employer doesn’t help?

In that case, it’s time to look into your legal options. Depending on what’s happening, you may have protections through the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or be able to take your employer to court over violations of workplace ethics. Your attorney will talk to you about what you’ve been going through and give you an opportunity to find a path forward, whether you stay in this workplace or move on to work with a different company in the future.