Can your employer tell you you cannot go to HR after multiple harassment grievances and nothing being done? [closed]

manpreet Best Answer 2 years ago

Ann is being bullied and harassed at work. She has reported it to her managers multiple times and nothing has been done. This time, HR was contacted and involved. This has been an ongoing problem.

Bob, who harasses Ann, works right next to her. He made a comment and Ann told Bob to "mind his own business." Bob went to his manager and told on Ann. Ann went to HR.

The next day, Ann gets a documentation for leaving work to go to HR. She was told she is not allowed to go to HR under any circumstances by her boss. She also was written up for not speaking nicely to Bob, when Bob is the one who said something first. Ann never speaks to Bob. This was the straw that broke the camel's back.

Is this legal? Can a manager tell an employee who is working">working in a hostile work environment that she will get in trouble for the complaint they filed?

manpreet 2 years ago

Anne should consult with a lawyer and start documenting everything

If she sues them and the behavior of the company is found to be creating a hostile work environment, they may face damages. There are other possible legal outcomes depending on the exact circumstances of what has happened, what her management does moving forward and what she and Bob do moving forward. The best advice at this point is to contact a local employment attorney and get a consultation - she may be able to nip this in the bud by meeting face to face with HR or with a strongly worded letter from an attorney to HR, but if that's not possible the attorney should give her a set of actions to take to get the best outcome for her. The bottom line is that you shouldn't take the advice of random people on the internet for personal legal issues and should hire an attorney that you can confide the entire situation in, who is familiar with the local jursidiction's relevant laws.

Anne should also ensure that she starts documenting everything - what Bob said to her, what his intention appeared to be (was he hitting on her? Bullying her?) and what she responded with. If her manager reprimands her, ask for it in writing, and if the manager refuses she can again write in her own words what happened in her personal documentation.