When an employee steps into their place of work, that individual has the right to do their job without fear of mistreatment of any kind. Unfortunately, some North Carolina workers are subjected to different types of harassment in the workplace, and some types of employees may face a higher chance of this happening than others. There has been a sharp increase in the number of health care workers reporting harassment from 2018 to 2022.
Why so many reports of harassment?
There are a few different factors that can contribute to the higher number of harassment reports since the onset of the pandemic. In 2022, more than 13% of health care workers reported experiencing harassment. This is double from 2018, during which just over 6% of workers made these reports. Harassment is often sexual, but health care workers may experience different types of mistreatments.
Some of the types of harassment noted in their reports include verbal abuse, threats, acts of violence and more. This often comes from patients, but it can also come from co-workers and employers. These types of behaviors lead to the development of a hostile work environment.
What can victims do?
Victims can take decisive action to defend their interests if they experience harassment at work. It may be beneficial to discuss one’s case with an experienced North Carolina attorney who can provide insight regarding legal options and how to hold the responsible parties accountable. An assessment of one’s situation will reveal how to move forward with this course of action.