Workplace harassment by employers or managers should have no place in today's world. This is a fairly unrecognized issue yet is a serious problem affecting many people.
The level of emotional and psychological abuse in the workplace is difficult to determine. There are many horror stories of workplace stress that violate labor laws that are surfacing to employment lawyers.
Workplace bullying is usually seen as acts or verbal comments that can mentally hurt or isolate a person in the workplace. Bullying involves repeated incidents or a pattern of behavior that is intended to intimidate, offend, degrade or humiliate a particular person or group of people. It’s also described as the assertion of power through aggression.
Employment Laws
Unions have rules and regulations to protect their members from abusive employers and hostile work environments. The Public Service Alliance of Canada will not tolerate any form of harassment for its members. They also define personal harassment as being disrespectful behavior that is not covered by human rights legislation.
Currently there is little occupational health and safety legislation in Canada that specifically deals with bullying in the workplace. In Quebec there is legislation that includes psychological harassment in the Act Respecting Labor Standards.
Examples of Bullying
Sometimes workplace harassment by employers can be very subtle or obvious. Some examples may be: excluding or isolating someone from certain benefits or opportunities; intimidation; undermining or deliberately impeding the employee from working; removing areas of responsibilities without just cause; constantly changing work guidelines; establishing impossible deadlines; withholding information or providing wrong information; assigning unreasonable duties; not providing enough work to create a sense of uselessness; yelling or using profane language or persistently criticizing the employee.
How can Workplace Bullying Affect an Individual?
People who are victims of workplace abuse may experience a range of effects. These reactions include:
shock
anger
total frustration
anxiety
increased sense of vulnerability
inability to sleep
loss of appetite
panic attacks about going to work
headaches, pains
inability to concentrate
low morale and productivity
What to Do
Always keep a daily journal to log what happened, the time it occurred and if there were any witnesses. Include as many details as possible about each incident. This information will be highly beneficial if the situation warrants outside intervention. Be sure to keep the journal private from other employees and place it in a safe location. Keep hardcopies (at your home) of any letters, memos, emails or faxes received by the employer or manager.
It is very important to never retaliate to a given situation as you may end up looking like the perpetrator. Remaining calm and appearing as though everything is fine is a very difficult yet necessary task and will take its toll. Be sure to have a support system of family and friends. Talking will release some of the stress. Finding safe methods of stress reduction is crucial to maintain good physical and mental health.
If you know someone who is suffering from workplace abuse be sure to provide as much support as possible. If you feel you are being bullied, discriminated or subjected to any form of harassment you need to get help. In the United States, a good place to start is the US Department of Labor. They will direct you to resources in your area.
In serious cases, consulting a lawyer may be prudent in protecting your best interests. In Ontario, a half hour of legal advice is free by calling Osgoode Hall (416-736-5030). They will refer you to a specialized lawyer in your area.
The copyright of the article Emotional Abuse in the Workplace in Emotional/Verbal Abuse is owned by Karen Stephenson. Permission to republish Emotional Abuse in the Workplace in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
Excellent article! Thank you for sharing information on such a serious and
very real workplace occurance.
Nov 4, 2008 3:39 AM
Guest :
It is useful to those of us who have been abused in this way to remember
that the person practicing the abuse is a scared little child making a big
noise to try and frighten us away from them or, alternatively, a nasty brat
that never got reprimanded and always got their own way.
Nov 5, 2008 9:38 AM
Guest :
Seems crazy how some parents preach how bullying in the schools is wrong
yet they go to work and bully their employees. Any employer or coworker who
treats another person wrong needs serious professional help.
Nov 6, 2008 6:08 PM
Guest :
I was bullied for a year and a half (after I was promoted) worked for the
company 5 years - it started with constant nit picking, critisms,
withholding information, training, taking credit for my work, taking a lot
of my work away and replacing with menial tasks, intimating (banging doors
in my face), short of actually hitting me I think I probably have ticked
the box for every other bullying tactic. It even escalated to actual
sabotaging of my work and than making light of it or deleting things and
then saying I hadn't done it properly. Because it was a very dysfunctional
company anyway (not going to mention any names but it was (is) one of the
biggest companies in the world after 4 months of bringing it to managers
notice (I had started documenting everything) I ended up getting fired
(unfair dismissal). The main bully even claimed that I was the
trouble-maker (and was bullying him) not him or his hench-man. He would
act like butter wouldn't melt in his mouth. I was let go claiming that I
could not work as a team player or under supervision. The reasons I was
bullied was 1) the main bully really wanted control over me (he wasn't even
my boss, but somehow felt he was superior to me), 2) I think he wanted
certain parts of my job (hence the constant critism and that he could do
the client training so much better) - he now has my job. 3) His hench-man
joined in because he was scared for his job and with me gone that meant he
was the only other person that knew the technical side of that work so his
job was safe. I am not saying this because I am still angry about the
whole thing but both these idiots were completely incompetent (which
eventually did show when I had left). They had a whole layer of management
hood-winked into thinking they were brilliant. Even the ones that knew
better kept silent because they were afraid of going against the grain.
Anyway personal changed the unfair dismissal to voluntary redundancy and
tried to get me to sign a gagging order). I had quite a bit of hard
evidence on sabotaging, scary thing is I only happened on that evidence one
day, I would have left that company thinking I was going crazy and
completely useless at what I do except for that. I should have brought
them to court but I was too emotionally drained and I didn't want my job
back. Even if they did let them go I still would have to deal with alot of
people that had started to support them even before the sabotaging so I
could never trust any of them again
Nov 30, 2008 10:39 PM
Guest :
Thank you for writing this article. I too have my story to tell. Why is
there no legal law in Manitoba only Quebec? I want to help change this.
Feb 11, 2009 10:36 AM
Guest :
Thank you for talking about this taboo issue. I worked at a hospital for
17 years in Toronto, Ontario this organization is considered amongst the
100th best employers in Canada by Mclean's magazine and got
"permanently laid off" for being a whistle blower on my manager's
bullying behaviour towards me. My manager started harassing and bullying
me since the day she started working there (2006)I did file fromal
complaints, had witnesses however everything was ignored (including their
own workplace and code of conduct policies). This abuse injuerd me
emotionally and psychologically to the point that all I did was cry. I had
to be off work for a few months for health reasons and when I went back to
work on modified working hours got fired, but not before I filed another
formal complaint 11 days after going back. How can we force the government
to do something about this serious problem? I wouldn't want anybody else to
go through what I have been through. How can an organization that has
policies just for window dressing, policies that are not implemmented get
to be classified as one of the best employers in Canada?
Feb 14, 2009 12:20 AM
Guest :
I really appreciate this article because I too am suffering from verbal
abuse in the workplace where my department supervisor comes across as a
bully. She yells and cuss when she is upset. I work in a hospital and when
she gets upset, even the patients here her. My boss is aware of this
behavior and covers for her because they are friends. My boss is no
protection for us from this woman. I was thinking about quitting, but
after reading this, I know I have rights. I will start journaling each
days events and recall her horrible, disrespectful, humiliating events of
the last 3 months I've worked there and when it happens again. I will
stand up and let her now I will no longer take her verbal abuse and take it
to hr.
Apr 21, 2009 8:53 PM
Guest :
I too was harrassed by a co-worker for 10 months. I documented every
incidet and I did try to defend myself verally a couple of times. This
usually happened when we were the only two in the office but at times
happened when other people were around. I was a Staff Coordinator for a
Home Health Agency and so was she. There were times she yelled at me in
front of my staff as well. I tried to talk to my execuative director and my
branch manager but was basically told I was blowing it out of proportion
and was told I didnt have to like her or get along with her but just do my
job and work as a team during working hours. There was basically zero
communication between her and I and I was never given messages from the
time I was away from the office, making me look bad for not returning
calls. After 10 months I got fired for "Poor work perfomrance and
product". The thing of it is, she has never been confronted about
anything. After 2 weeks without a job, find out today she is telling my
staff I got fired and why I got fired. Number one she has no right to know
why I got fired and number 2 she has no right to tell others why I got
fired. I have applied for unemployment, I havent gotten a decision on it
yet, but if I am denied, I will appeal it. I feel I was fired unfairly.
Apr 23, 2009 10:30 AM
Guest :
I live in Kansas where there is a Right to Work Law. Basically this means
that the employer has the right to treat their employees in whatever manner
they deem fit. I have been the victim of Workplace Bullying many times but
always thought it was or should be illegal. I have researched this topic
extensively in the Wichita Law Library and used some of the law cases cited
to back up my claim in my unemployment benefits appeal. The final decision
by the UIB judge determined I quit my job "for no good reason"
and was found to be disqualified for unemployment.
Jul 27, 2009 10:08 PM
Guest :
I was openly harassed by a co-worker in Canada for almost a year. The
supervisor ignored all my complaints because he is close to the harasser.
The company has an anti-harassment policy - a sham- just to satisfy the
labour board. The HR manager pretented to conduct an investigation. An
investigation with no witnesses or evidence. An investigation with no
report at the end. An investigation in which they hung a brown girl without
a fair trial. And now they want the brown girl to wake up from the dead and
thank them for all they have done for her. Big company - big promises - big
sins! Hope you are reading this - miss perfect investigator HR Manager!
Aug 6, 2009 4:14 PM
Guest :
This article is very helpful to those of us who have expierienced mental
abuse and bullying in the workplace. I am currently in a situation where my
work is very minimal and I am literally kept in isolation. I believe the
tactic is to make me feel dumb and useless. I started with my current
employer in 2003 and worked under a female office manager; she made my life
a living hell the day I stepped foot in that office. Apparently there was a
love triangle that I had walked into and was accused of knowing the boss a
little too well; that was not the case at all. I was hired by the plant
manager behind the office managers back and ever since have paid dearly.
Needless to say she was so obsessed with sabatogin my paperwork and making
me think I was completely out of my mind I think someone took this to
corporates attention and she is no longer with the company. Her good
friends still work for the company and whenever they can they make me feel
like i am insane or dumb and poke fun. The field people now work out of a
trailer that occupies the yard; and I am in isolation and given very little
work to do. Today one of the guys came in and asked me if I smoked pot I
took offense and let him know that he insulted me. I did not find it funny
especially since he make a joke out of me in front of the new office help;
and she started laughing. I just wish adults would act like adults and stop
picking on people who did nothing to them. This has caused a great deal of
pain torment in my life and has taken a toll on my marriage. I will
continue to stay strong and hope a new opportunity comes my way.
Aug 8, 2009 9:06 PM
Guest :
This is in reply to the Aug 6 post. My post appeared on July 27. I am
not quitting. I transferred to another location & am striving to
continually excel in my job. I am collecting evidence that will damn
those who looked away from it all when I was being bullied. They assumed a
brown immigrant girl is too stupid to know her rights. I am doing a lot of
reasearch on labour laws and human rights. They know it now and are
constantly worried about what I am upto and what is coming next. I do
not want to end it all by walking out and give them peace of mind. My
pay went down and benefits were cut and I was given some silly excuses for
it. I am staying and fighting for my rights. I will see to it that no
one else who works for the company has to face what I had to face.
I am a survivor.
Aug 18, 2009 11:02 AM
Guest :
Guest,
I often work on contract within the non profit sector,
and have been on the receiving end of bullying on many occassions. In one
case, the employer or one of his stakeholders - read business sponsor -
sent an unmarked car to my home to harass me. Usually my documented
complaints lead to dismissal or increased harassment - more work, fewer
resources, and continual change in work responsibilities. In one large and
well known cancer charity, there was actually pushing and shoving and
screaming. None of the people who orchestrated these situations were
reprimanded; others,including myself were dismissed without cause. The
form of bullying I have been subject to is harassing remarks when I am
alone with a coworker or with a supervisor. When confronted, the
perpetrator(s) usually deny the incidents ever occurred.
For a
short period of time, I worked for two senior civil servants who spent the
day cursing very loudly in their offices. Although not directed at me, it
created a negative atmosphere in which to work.
While I have
been successful in several wrongful dismissal cases, I have suffered the
consequences of job loss, and lack of references. Verbal harassment and
bullying by woman managers and supervisors is a very common in the
voluntary sector; not enough staff and too much stress. I am a woman
myself, who has been on the receiving end. In my limited experience, these
women were extremely manipulative, with protective alliances with upper
management,who were oblivious to their modus operandi. In other cases,
these women thought sarcasm and criticism was a normal form of
communication.
Oct 10, 2009 9:00 PM
Guest :
There are times when you think it is only happening to you at work but when
you look around you realize its epidemic when you work for a tyrannt who
has no respect for her employees it has become a very sad world for many of
us who need to keep our jobs and can't afford to say how we really feel
because of the fear of losing them, your website was inspirational to know
I am not alone. Its hard to let go of the frustration that nothing can be
done but we all try to deal as best we can . Thank you for letting me
vent.
Oct 18, 2008
