How Do You Know if Your Employer is Retaliating Against You? Sometimes, its hard to tell whether your employer is retaliating against you. For example, if you complain about your supervisors harassing conduct, his attitude and demeanor may change. But if the change means he acts more professionally towards you, that isnt retaliation even if he isnt as friendly as he once was. Only changes that have an adverse effect on your employment are retaliatory. On the other hand, if something clearly negative happens shortly after you make a complaint -- like firing or demotion -- youll have good reason to be suspicious. And remember, not every retaliatory act is obvious or necessarily means your job is threatened. It may come in the form of an unexpected and unfair poor performance review, the boss micromanaging everything you do, or sudden exclusion from staff meetings on a project youve been working on. What to Do if You Suspect Retaliation If you suspect your employer is retaliating against you, first talk to your supervisor or a human resources representative about the reasons for these negative acts. Its fair to ask specific questions. Your employer may have a perfectly reasonable explanation -- youve been moved to the day shift because theres an opening, and thats what youd said you always wanted, or your poor performance review may be based on documented problems youd been told of previously. If your employer cant give you a legitimate explanation, voice your concern that you are being retaliated against. No doubt your employer will deny it -- and in truth, employers can retaliate without realizing it. You should point out that the negative action took place only after you complained, and ask that it stop immediately. If the employer isnt willing to admit its wrongdoing or correct the problem, you may have to take your concerns to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or your states fair employment agency. Building a Case of Retaliation If you suspect retaliation and your employer wont correct the problem, you will need to show a link between your complaint (or other behavior that you believe triggered the retaliation), and the employers retaliatory behavior. The more evidence you have in support of your claim, the better. To do this, document the allegedly retaliatory behavior. Also, keep track of historical information prior to when you made your complaint. For example, if your boss claims your performance is poor after you make a complaint, be sure to dig up any email messages or other documents showing that your boss was pleased with your work performance before the complaint.
Posted on: Wed, 17 Sep 2014 01:48:00 +0000
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