While many employers ban Internet surfing during work hours, employees still have a lot to be concerned about in the virtual world. With the popularity of Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites, many working Americans maintain a public profile that can cause problems at work.
Cyber-bullying is an up-and-coming problem not limited to the younger generation. Many adults are very active in social media platforms and sometimes what happen at work carries over to the World Wide Web. Employee conflicts with other co-workers that simmer all day long can explode in the perceived anonymity of the Internet but what workers often fail to realize is that what they say online can have serious consequences for their job security.
Co-worker spats that evolve online can lead to potentially violent situations. In some cases, the cyber-bullying has led to physical confrontations in the work environment that ended in injury and even as a fatality. Workers have been known to show up at work with guns and other weapons as payback for things that have been said or posted online. In other situations, employees have put their own lives at risk or followed through with suicidal plans due in part to constant bullying by those at work.
Cyber-bullying has some laws established to protect people but it is still a shaky arena as far legalities are concerned. Many incidents of cyber-bullying go unreported simply because co-workers need their jobs to get by and do not want to risk upsetting the responsible party who may in turn inflict more problems. For as many reported cases as their have been to law enforcement and work management, there are probably many more cases where the bully is not prosecuted or terminated for violating company policies.
If you have been the victim of a cyber-bully’s repetitive harassment, it is important to your health and safety to report such incidents and seek help. If you have been injured in an online conflict which has turned violent on the job, it is vital you speak to a legal representative to protect your rights. You can reach our office toll free at 855-614-4351 for a free consultation or get more information using our online contact form.