We go to work everyday and can easily get caught up in the water cooler gossip and the internal politics among employees. But when such gossip you hear turns into teasing, cruelty and harassment, the doors open up to much bigger stakes.
If you do not know the realities of your employer’s workplace violence protocol, you should make it a priority to get informed. What you don’t know can lead to your own injury on the job or general downfall. In some employer handbooks, those who witness harassment and other threatening acts between co-workers are just as guilty as the parties directly involved in a physical fight if no one has spoken up.
As a co-worker, you may be more inclined to hear the gossip going around about certain individuals. While some people will speak up and report such incidents, the majority of workplace violence stems from the fact no one ever reported the incidents leading up to the situation. Consider how many news stories you have heard in the last few years involving employers who get fired or just mad after a day at work and return to their former employer’s with a gun or other dangerous device. Those interviewed often said they saw signs but never acted.
If you are the witness to a harassing situation between those you work with, you can never take for granted that it will not grow into something more serious. The same is true if you are the one being harassed. Employer protocol should allow for confidential reporting of potentially dangerous situations to make those involved more inclined to coming forward.
If you have been the victim of an attack at work, you have rights to protect. Contact our office today to discuss the situation of harassment or physical violence on the job with one of our experienced worker’s compensation attorneys. You can call us toll free at 866-205-2415 or reach out through our confidential online contact form.