In the United States, discrimination laws protect employees from sexual harassment, wrongful termination, employment discrimination, age discrimination in employment act. However, there are still many cases of hostile work environments seen today. These types of discrimination are determined by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which enforces the protection of discriminated groups of employees.
At HKM Employment Attorneys, our employment law attorneys are here to offer you legal advice in the Phoenix, Tempe, Tucson, and Scottsdale, Arizona, areas. Our law firm believes that everyone deserves to have a safe place to work, and aim to protect you from employment discrimination. We are determined to help you with your legal issues.
What Constitutes a Hostile Work Environment?
When you hear the phrase hostile work environment, you might think about your annoying coworker that is always slacking off, or the boss that gets on your back about meeting your deadlines, but this is not the case. While this can be annoying, it isn’t unlawful. A hostile work environment that breaks the law is when an employee is faced with unwanted comments that reference their gender, national origin, religion, disability, or age. Often times, it will be seen that another employee or employer will go out of their way to make another employee uncomfortable using their actions or words. A whistleblower could also face these types of discrimination.
- Federal laws are put in place to protect employees from these types of discrimination. Here are some signs of a hostile work environment:
- Negative comments are made about a protected group
- The discrimination repeats and nothing is done to remedy the situation
- Age discrimination in the employment act prevents discrimination due to a person’s age
- Being treated differently, such as a denial of benefits or insurance that other employees have due to a disability. The Americans with Disabilities Act was put in place to protect these employees from this type of discrimination.
- Loss of job, or harassment about taking a medical leave
How to Resolve a Hostile Work Environment
To resolve a hostile work environment, you should first communicate with the person offending you that their actions and words are discriminatory and should stop. If this doesn’t help, then talking to your employer is the best course of action. All of this should be well documented. If this still doesn’t stop the offending party from their comments or actions, filing a case might be the only option.
Contact an Employment Attorney
If you have been a victim of a hostile work environment, you could be entitled to workers compensation and could benefit from an employment lawyer. At HKM Employment Attorneys, we are here to help you get your unpaid wages fulfilled and get the treatment you deserve in Arizona employment. Contact us today for a consultation and advice on all things employment law.
