Workplace harassment can take on many forms. Sexual, physical, personal or bullying, discrimination, and psychological are each a type of harassment and should not be tolerated in the workplace.
If you feel you are being harassed at work, there should be someone in charge of personnel matters that can help you file a claim or mediate the problem. If this in-house person cannot resolve the issues, you may need to seek the help of a workplace harassment attorney.
Here are 4 signs there is illegal harassment going on in the workplace.
- Physical Harassment
This can take on many different degrees, from unwanted gestures to touching that border on sexual advances. An abuser may gently touch your hair or face, with or without comment and consider this okay behavior. But for you, if you did not ask for the touching, it would be unwanted advancements.
This type of harassment may be difficult to identify since there are many different degrees. If a coworker or supervisor punches you in the arm in a most friendly way, this is harassment, even if he or she says it is being done in jest. If there is no physical harm done, it doesn’t mean this is not abuse and harassment.
- Psychological Harassment
This could also be categorized as verbal abuse. It is a constant and ongoing destruction of your values, beliefs, ideas and other things that make you unique. If the person is also hurling slurs, insults, hurtful comments and/or “jokes” at your expense towards you, then you are being harassed.
Another form of psychological harassment is someone taking credit for your work or ideas. This could also include making impossible demands, withholding vital information and exclusionary tactics. These are designed to break down your self-esteem and undermine your confidence
This is also one of the more difficult harassment styles to prove. If the person is cursing at you, yelling or “tattling” on you to the boss, the supervisors may label this behavior as a personality difference. And many times, you will be reprimanded even though you are the victim.
- Sexual Harassment
This type of harassment runs the gambit from sharing pornographic content and jokes to sexual advances and unwanted touching. And it is not only women who suffer from unwanted sexual advancements. Men can be sexually harassed in the workplace as well.
The sexual predator may start out simply flirting and he/she seems interested in you for romantic reasons. However, the behavior goes beyond that and turns to a sexual nature rather quickly. Supervisors or persons who are in charge of what you do should never flirt with you or make sexual advances on you.
- Cyber Bullying
The person sitting next to you could be cyber bullying you or it could be a customer across the country. The Internet and social media have made people braver and able to do and say things they would never consider doing in person.
The bully feels they can be as mean as they want without any consequences as they are removed physically from the situation. This is harassment and should be reported just as the other types of abuse.
Always remember, you have every right to your boundaries and to request no one touches you or treats you unfairly.
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