It was established in the first part of this post that workplace hostilities are responsible for several employees quitting their jobs, as well as it is responsible for many job losses. Most of these hostile behaviors come as a result of an employee being discriminated against for his/her race, religion, gender, etc. It is however important that a work environment be a place of safety, a place of confidence, and ultimately a friendly environment.
This part therefore focuses on the legal requirements for identifying hostilities in work places and steps to be taken to seek redress in case of an infringement.
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The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is the body that enforces laws relating to hostile work environments.
The EEOC investigates discrimination complaints based on an individual's race, children, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, and retaliation for reporting, participating in, and/or opposing a discriminatory practice - wikipedia
The EEOC investigates complaints of workplace hostilities, and attempts to settle them. In cases where suitable settlement terms cannot be reached, the EEOC files a lawsuit in defense of the victim, or the general public. The agency also conducts outreach programs to sensitize people, thereby preventing further cases of discrimination.
Under this law, a person who complains of workplace hostility must be able to prove to have been the subject of discrimination based on gender, skin color, religion, sexual orientation, ancestry, national origin, pregnancy, age, or disability. Furthermore, such actions must have been severe and pervasive enough to be considered abusive. This standard ensures that people are not wrongly charged simply based on insinuations, or dislike.
For example, a co-worker might exhibit continuous irritating or inappropriate office behaviors, but cannot be categorized as abusive. However, one who verbally criticizes you based on religion, race, marital status or disability will be guilty under the law.
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What Qualifies an Action as Discriminating or Hostile?
- An action that is done against a protected classification such as race, religion, gender, and disability.
- The action must have been repeated multiple times, not just a one-time occurrence, which might only be as a result of a provocation or diverted aggression.
- The action affects the employee's work delivery or affects his/her self esteem.
- The action denies the employee of his/her privileges such as promotion, bonuses, or job rotation (where applicable).
- When the victim has reported or declared displeasure over such an action or word considered as discriminating.
It is important to note that details and penalties regarding workplace hostility laws vary from country to country. They are also probably non-existent in some places. It is therefore important to be guided by the laws in your own region to know what is acceptable, so that you will not be a victim, and likewise, that you are not infringing on the rights of other people, an action which may come with grave consequences against you.
Thank you very much for reading this post, I appreciate your contributions. Remember also to always check back.
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