If an employee threatened me with violence and was not terminated, did the company contribute to creating a hostile work environment?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
If an employee threatened me with violence and was not terminated, did the company contribute to creating a hostile work environment?
I am a manager at a retail store. One of our male employees asked 10 different female associates on dates and showed signs of hostility towards them when he was turned down. This violated the code of conduct for the company which states immediate termination. Instead the company placed him on a final warning and had him scheduled only to work with my immediate supervisor. Last week he was scheduled when my supervisor was not working and he showed signs of hostility towards me and threatened me with physical violence and I had him removed from the store with police assistance. He continued to threaten me for the next 2 days in front of witnesses and my supervisors. I have sought a peace, or restraining, order against the aggressor and he has since been terminated. Do I have a right to seek legal counsel since this has affected my professional and personal life? I feel the company knew this person was a liability and contributed to creating a hostile work environment for
Asked on July 15, 2012 under Employment Labor Law, Maryland
Answers:
FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
You have the right under the laws of this country to consult with an attorney about the way the hostile employee situation was seemingly mishandled by your employer. The issue that I see is that what actual damages have you suffered in terms of dollars and cents?
You did not have to go to the hospital for injuries albeit you certainly were placed in a stressful and challenging situation due to your employer's inability to resolve the problem sooner rather than later.
I suspect if you make a bigger issue about the matter you may have some long term negative consequences with your employer.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.