Combating Harassment and Bullying in the Workplace

In recent years, harassment and bullying have received increased attention in the media.  When this type of conduct occurs in the workplace, it can have vast implications for restaurants and other employers.  This article addresses how to identify harassment and bullying in the workplace, and suggests best practices for preventing and responding to such behavior.

Bullying Versus Harassment: Is There a Difference?Many people use the terms “harassment” and “bullying” interchangeably to describe behavior that is physically or emotionally harmful or threatening, and often imposed by someone with real or perceived power over the victim.  This behavior may constitute unlawful harassment (and discrimination) when it is imposed against a victim based on a characteristic protected by law, if:

The behavior creates a hostile work environment; Submission to or rejection of the conduct is used as a basis for an employment action; or Submission to the conduct is made a term or condition…