3 Steps To Take If You Are Being Bullied And Harassed At Your Job
Being harassed or bullied at your workplace can make your job and your life miserable, and you may wonder what you can do about it. Well, there are several different steps you can take if the bullying and harassment is causing major problems with the way you feel at work and at home. Taking the right steps may help you stop this from happening and can leave you with compensation for the stress, trauma, and health issues you may be experiencing from this.
Step 1: File a Report at Your Workplace
The first step in resolving this issue is filing a complaint report at your job. This report should contain the date in which the problem began, a description of what is happening, and the effects it is causing. Make sure you sign and date the letter and make a copy to keep for your records.
When you file this report, your employer should complete an investigation on it. From there, the employer will have to decide what to do, and it could go two ways:
- If your employer stops the employees that are doing this to you, the problem might be solved, and you may not need to do anything else about it.
- If your employer does nothing about the problem, this document will serve as proof that you tried to remedy the problem.
If nothing happens after doing this, you may want to pursue the next step, which involves filing a workers' compensation claim.
Step 2: File a Workers' Compensation Claim
Most people fully understand that their employers carry workers' compensation insurance to cover work-related injuries, but what they don't understand is that this compensation is not only for physical injuries. Workers' compensation is typically used when there are physical injuries to employees; however, you can also file a claim against it for emotional injuries you have incurred at the workplace.
Emotional injuries are often the result of bullying and harassment from coworkers or bosses. These injuries can happen when people at the workplace:
- Make fun of you day after day
- Play mean jokes on you
- Call you names or say mean things to you
- Set you up for failure
- Discriminate against you because of your color, gender, or race
The hardest part of qualifying for worker's compensation benefits for emotional injuries is proving them. You must prove that you have been injured emotionally while you are at work, and it always helps to have witnesses that can verify your claims.
Step 3: File a Personal Injury Lawsuit
If you are having trouble collecting money through workers' compensation, there is one more step you could take. Hiring a personal injury lawyer to help you file a lawsuit against your employer and the employees that caused the harm is your final option.
Again, with this option you will have to produce evidence of the harm that was done, and you will need to prove that you really are experiencing trauma, pain, and emotional distress from what has happened.
One of the best ways to prove your case is by keeping a journal. If you document each incident that happens, how you felt during it, and the pain and distress is left you with, you could use this information in court. If your lawyer can help you prove your case, you could end up winning and receiving a large settlement for the pain you have experienced.
If you are being bullied or discriminated against at work and are not sure what to do, contact an injury attorney. You can discuss your case with him or her, and this will help you decide what steps to take. To find a personal injury attorney, go to websites like this one.