Workplace Harassment Solicitors
If you’re suffering from harassment or bullying in the workplace it can be very difficult to know what to do about it. Laws are in place to protect you though, so there is no need for you to experience unfair treatment without seeking help to resolve the matter.
Our experienced team provides specialist legal advice in different languages to clients on a wide range of different legal matters. This includes employment law advice such as bullying and harassment. They can help you establish the facts of your case and agree a way forward.
What constitutes bullying and harassment?
It is perfectly normal for conversations in the workplace to become personal as well as professional and it’s common for some dialogue to involve a certain amount of pressure to get the job done.
However, there comes a point where certain behaviour towards you as an employee is not acceptable in any context, be that in the workplace or in wider society.
Workplace discrimination is one example of harassment. This occurs when you feel that you are being treated unfairly, based on a ‘protected characterisitc’ such as your gender, race or sexual orientation among others.
A broader definition of bullying and harassment can include:
- Excessive criticism, especially in meetings or in front of a lot of colleagues
- Threats over your job security or continued employment
- Verbal abuse including racial or sexual references
- Unfair exclusion from meetings, emails or team activities
These are just a few examples of bullying and harassment. If you’re experiencing something other than the above, which leaves you feeling that your job is not secure or that you are being unfairly treated, you should take steps to resolve it.
What should I do if I’m being bullied or harassed in the workplace?
If you feel that you are being treated unfairly in any way, we recommend that you try to resolve the situation amicably first and seek legal advice if you’re unable to resolve the situation this way.
Such treatment can be very distressing which makes it hard to think rationally. However, it’s important to try to establish facts if you want to resolve the matter through legal action so you should keep records of dates and times and the nature of any unfair treatment you have experienced in the workplace.
At some point it’s likely that you will need to put something in writing to support your claim, so a detailed factual account of events can help your case. You will need a lot of detail, because a certain amount of ‘banter’ in the workplace and pressure to do the job well are acceptable. However, you will need to be able to demonstrate that behaviour in the workplace has gone beyond what is acceptable and become unlawful.
Your employers are likely to have a written policy for bullying and harassment so if you do raise a fomal complaint, they have a duty to respond to it thoroughly. Failure to do so could breach your contract, leaving you entitled to claim for Constructive Dismissal.
Even if they don’t have a policy for bullying or harassment, if you have been discriminated against on the basis of a ‘protected characteristic’, this will amount to discrimination. The Equality Act 2010 protects you against such behaviour, regardless of your company’s internal procedures.
How do I get advice on bullying and harassment at work?
Call us on 0208 1111 911 or contact us through the website and we’ll discuss your circumstances with you. Then we’ll recommend the best course of action to resolve your issue. The initial call is free and we’ll advise you of our fees before you decide to instruct us.
