Dealing With Workplace Discrimination And Harassment

Harassment and discrimination will appear at the workplace in so many different possible forms. Unfortunately, this is a problem that is still not solved, although this is something that many large companies would like you to think. The good news is there are various federal and state laws that are protecting the employees. The bad news is that it is sometimes really hard to prove what happened. For instance, being wrongfully terminated because corporate fraud reporting is going to bring in a long fight. It is always a good idea to be prepared. Here are some things you should know about dealing with workplace harassment and discrimination from the offices of Quinn Law.

Let Your Employer Know

You want to do this whenever you feel harassed or discriminated against. Contrary to popular belief, in many situations the employers do take this seriously and will punish those that are guilty. The cases in which the employers will admit to this will be rare but when you at least let them know something may change.

If the discrimination continues you want to take it one step further and let the employer know that you are going to take this really seriously. You should receive a written report whenever you report incidents. Investigations should be made and you need to be offered proof that this actually happened.

Keep Diaries

Always keep a diary of all the harassment or discrimination incidents you went through. You want to record date, an approximate time, who was involved, location, witnesses and even improper speech or conduct details. This diary will help the investigators to properly determine what happen, especially in pressuring the witnesses to prove everything.

Keep Objects

Although you may feel ashamed, you want to keep all the pictures or objects through which you were harassed or discriminated. As an example, if you are black, you go to work and you find pictures of burning crosses on your desk, keep them. You will feel this is upsetting and you may want to simply burn pictures but keeping them can be pretty useful in the future as physical proof cannot be dismissed.

Review Anti-Discrimination Policy

Companies do have some sort of freedom when thinking about their anti-discrimination policies. Employers can put this in writing and acknowledge an interest in dealing with workplace harassment and discrimination but do you know how this is actually handled? Do be sure that you have a copy of this policy and that you read it so that you understand what is expected when you work.

Get Help From An Attorney

If you talked with the employer and nothing actually happened, it is time to talk with attorneys. They will help you to easily review state and federal laws so that you understand all your rights. Actually, it is a good idea to review these even if you were not discriminated against as you never know when this may happen. An attorney will always talk with you, gather evidence and tell you what to do so that the best possible outcome appears for you.