Don’t let employers bully you for engaging in protected acts. Learn the subtle examples of employer retaliation in the workplace you need to look out for.
The workplace would be a space where everyone can work comfortably and feel safe in an ideal world. While it’s an employer’s job to provide a safe environment for their employees and to protect them from harm, verbal abuse, discrimination, and other illegal acts, they may not always do so.
It may be the employers themselves that are harming their workers in some cases. Doing so out of revenge is known as workplace retaliation, which typically occurs when an employer seeks some form of revenge or recompense on an employee who’s engaging in a protected act. With such an overt definition, it may seem like it would be obvious to sniff out such acts, but very subtle examples exist of employer retaliation in the workplace.
Increased Monitoring and Surveillance
An employer may increase their surveillance of your work activities if they are retaliating against you. Employers may monitor emails, phone calls, or your work performance more closely than usual; they may even schedule more frequent meetings to scrutinize your work. While monitoring and surveillance can be a part of an employer’s regular practice, if it increases after you file a complaint or express dissatisfaction, the Court could consider it retaliation.
Negative Performance Reviews
Of course, not performing up to par can warrant negative reviews, but retaliation can also take the form of negative performance reviews. Employers know that negative performance reviews could impact your career progression, salary increases, or your employment status.
As we go through the rest of these subtle examples of employer retaliation in the workplace, you’ll notice that these changes in your employer’s behavior typically coincide with an action on the employee’s part. You’ll notice a behavior change if an employee reports a crime, complains, asks for sick leave or time off, or engages in a legal act that their employer doesn’t like.
Exclusion from Opportunities
Employers may exclude you from opportunities, such as training, promotions, or work events, as a form of retaliation. Being excluded from opportunities that your employer normally offers your peers can be very demoralizing and can impact your career growth.
Isolation from the rest of your coworkers doesn’t just impact your career but can also impact your mental well-being. Your employer ousting you from your workplace community is a tactic they may use to pressure you to quit.
Denied Benefits or Adjusted Work Schedule
Employers can also retaliate against their employees by denying them their benefits or adjusting their work schedules to punish them. For instance, your employer could be retaliating against you if they move you from a day shift to a night shift or deny you a hard-earned promotion you were once in line for.
These subtle acts of retaliation can seriously affect your wages, especially if your employer cuts your hours short or you lose multiple shifts. Fortunately, laws exist that can protect you from retaliation, and although reporting and winning a case of retaliation may seem intimidating or impossible, it’s important to speak up. Proving retaliation may be easier than you think if you work with a knowledgeable lawyer; don’t let bullies push you or your coworkers around.