Many people will experience discrimination or harassment at some point in their lives. While it can come from all quarters, it is unsurprising that many experience it in the workplace at the hands of colleagues or managers. After all, these are people you likely see all the time. Most employers and employees are well aware that the law expects workplaces to be free of harassment and discrimination that is based on a person’s protected characteristics. For example, their skin color, race, religion, gender or disability, among other things.
Anyone on the receiving end may be justified in bringing a claim based on the hostile work environment that has been created. What many do not realize is that these claims can also result from actions that occur totally outside the workplace.
How can events outside the workplace count?
Here are a couple of examples:
Julie has been getting unwelcome texts of a sexual nature from one of her bosses. They never send them during worktime, but that does not matter. She still has to go in each day and work under that person, knowing what they said in those messages.
Marco is attending a trade show with some other members of the team. It’s a two-day event, so they stay in a hotel overnight. All is going well until they go to the bar to unwind, and some of the team members start making jokes about Marco’s national origins. He cannot simply forget what was said, come Monday, when they return to the office
The work environment will have changed for the worse for both of these people. They may no longer feel as comfortable or safe in their workplace, due to those actions outside the workplace.
Proving harassment or discrimination can sometimes be challenging, but taking action is often the best way to ensure it does not happen again. Those who experience it may want legal guidance to explore their options.
