Benefits March 21, 2007

Employees Say Minor Workplace Abuses Warrant Legal Action

March 21, 2007 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Nearly half of workers say they have personally been the victim of, seen or heard about some sort of workplace abuse by supervisors, and 64% say abused workers should be able to sue for damages, according to a recent poll.
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According to a press release, the poll of 1,000 respondents by Employment Law Alliance looked at workplace abuses that are not afforded the same legal recourses as racial, religious or gender discrimination.

Specifically, the poll found that American workers have experienced the following instances of workplace abuse by a supervisor or employer:

  • Making a sarcastic joke or teasing remark, 60%
  • Being critical of performance in front of co-workers, 59%
  • Interrupting you/co-worker in a rude manner, 58%
  • Giving a dirty look, 56%
  • Raising his/her voice, or yelling, 55%

Being ignored as if invisible was also an abuse cited by more than half of respondents.

The poll divided the frequency of workplace abuse into regions, and showed Southern workers (34%) are less likely to have experience with an abusive boss than are their Northeastern (56%) and Midwestern (48%) counterparts.

For the full poll results go here .

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