GRIEVANCE FOR A HOSTILE WORKPLACE Experiencing a hostile workplace makes it difficult for you to work. You may fear for your safety or for your job. No matter what the underlying reason, a hostile workplace is illegal and a form of discrimination. Having to deal with verbal threats and a hostile workplace can be a violation of your civil rights. When determining how to write a grievance, make sure before you submit the grievance that your situation qualifies as a hostile work environment, where the intimidation directly affects your work performance. State the Facts Treat the structure and language of your grievance as if you were explaining it to a lawyer or judge. State only the facts of the situation. Make sure that the grievance letter is structured so that events are listed chronologically and are presented in a way that makes logical sense. When at all possible, use the exact working of the hostile threats and details of intimidation tactics used by co-workers. Make sure to relay how the behaviour is directed solely at you, including if it is targeted at your age, gender, religion or other trait protected by the Civil Rights Act. List Witness In your grievance you should list everyone involved in the situation, particularly the person or people directly threatening you. You also should list any witnesses to the situation who can corroborate your allegations. When listing witnesses, include their full name, position within the company and where they were during the altercation. Also include anyone else in your workplace who also may be a victim of the same hostile situation. Just because the hostility in the workplace is directed at you it doesnt mean that its not adversely affecting others at your job. Include Documentation Its generally difficult to prove that a hostile workplace exists unless you have definitive proof of the allegations, such as a recording of the harassment as it takes place or an email from your boss or co-worker containing a hostile threat. Make sure that you keep detailed records of every instance of harassment youve suffered, including the wording of verbal threats, intimidating actions by co-workers or other instances that make it difficult or uncomfortable for you to do your job. Include the time, date, location and involved parties. Retaliation When writing your grievance, omit any emotion from your writing. Remember that you are giving a factual account of events, not creating an emotional appeal. The grievance letter that you write should highlight the facts of the situation as well as any applicable legal information relevant to the situation, such as what laws the hostile work environment violates. Avoid using language that implies hostile retaliation on your part, including threatening language toward your employer. If youre seeking the advice of a lawyer, you may want to omit this information from your grievance letter to your employer to prevent retaliation, such as termination. Keep a copy of your grievance and note when and to whom it was given.
Posted on: Fri, 29 Aug 2014 09:11:10 +0000
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