It’s possible that you may find yourself mistreated while at work. There are many ways this can happen, from unfair pay to sexual assault. No matter how you’re mistreated, you must know what steps to take. If you don’t know what to do in this situation, things can quickly get worse. But, if you’re prepared for it, you’ll know how to deal with things should you ever get mistreated.
Be Aware Of Your Rights
Before you do anything, you have to be aware of your rights as an employee. It’s important you know these because it will determine whether or not you’ve been mistreated. Study the contract you’ve been given for the job and ask for a copy of employee rights from HR. I can’t stress how important this is. You could think you’ve been mistreated but, legally speaking, you may not have been. This will mean you have no case, and there’s not much action you can take. Some people think that they’re being forced to work overtime. But, if you study your contract, you could find that it is perfectly legal. It may be written in there that, if asked, you have to work overtime for no pay. So it’s important you’re aware of your rights and if you’re actually being mistreated or not.
Tell Someone
It’s always wise that you tell someone if you’re being mistreated. No matter how severe it is, you should always speak out about it. Tell your fellow employees or tell the boss. If a fellow employee is mistreating you in the office, it’s always best to speak to your boss. If your boss is mistreating you, it can still be a good idea to tell them. Sitting down and having a professional conversation with them can help things. It may turn out they aren’t even aware they’re mistreating you. If you bring it to their attention then hopefully they’ll realise their error. A simple chat can solve issues and stop them before things take a legal turn.
Take Legal Action
Go to your HR department and file a complaint. You’ll need to make sure you have all your details with you and details of the incident. When a complaint is made, they will assess it to see if you have a genuine case. If you do, it’s likely things will start to be seen from a legal standpoint. You can make a claim to an employment tribunal service. Once this is done, there will likely be a whole hearing on the matter. This will require you to get employment tribunal representation during the hearing. You can represent yourself, but it isn’t advised. During this hearing, the case will be discussed and an agreement reached. If it’s found that you have legally been treated wrongly, you’ll end up with some compensation. This is a very serious thing by the way. You can’t just make claims for any old thing. There has to be legal evidence of your mistreatment, or you won’t get any compensation.
Quit Your Job
If you’re being treated poorly but there’s nothing illegal about it, quit your job. Sometimes, walking away from your job can be the best thing for you. Why stay in a role where you’re being badly treated? Quit and move on to bigger and better things.
