If I report harassment and it is not investigated, does that violate my rights?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
If I report harassment and it is not investigated, does that violate my rights?
What should my employer do legally in an investigation of harassment? I have been told to deal with it myself. I am seriously scared of my direct supervisor as she yells at me in group meetings and tells me to get out of her face and leave her office. I shake at work and can’t sleep but don’t want to lose my job. This has been going on for over 1 year now and I just don’t know what to do besides document, document, document. What can I do without the support of my supervisor?
Asked on October 13, 2011 under Employment Labor Law, Alaska
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
What do you mean by harassment? If it is that you were being harassed on the bases of your race, your religion, your age over 40, your disability, or your gender/sex, then illegal discrimination or harassment is being committed. If the company won't deal with it, you have other options: you could bring it to the attention of your state labor department, or you could consult with an employment law attorney to explore bringing a lawsuit, or both.
If it's however harassment simply in that a coworker or supervisor doesn't like you and is harassing you, but that harassment is not based on some specifically protected category, like those described above, you might not have any recourse: the law protects against certain defined types of harassment, but does not generally require an employer or supervisor to treat you well or fairly.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.