If you have been physically threatened at work and nothing was done, can you sue your employer?
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If you have been physically threatened at work and nothing was done, can you sue your employer?
I was threatened by another employee at the office and immediately reported it to the boss. He gave that employee no discipline or repercussions, and she has still been allowed to work in the same office and be hostile towards me. When I brought it up again i was asked to find another job.
Asked on May 5, 2017 under Employment Labor Law, Washington
Answers:
M.D., Member, California and New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 6 years ago | Contributor
The fact is that your employer is under no obligation to do anything at all. A personal dispute among co-workers is not your company's concern unless it is effecting workplace perfomance or constitutes legally actionable harrassment. You use the word "threat", however you provide no specific details. Clearly, your employer who is privy to the facts, does not think that it is viable nor has the potential to escalate. If it did, you would not be assigned to train this person. In fact, this employee would have in all liklihood have been terminated by this point. Therefore, while some workplaces have a zero tolerance policy regarding this type of behavior, yours clearly does not and frankly is not legally obligated to.
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