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What Are the Six Most Common Retaliation Tactics?

Have you ever had to file a complaint against a fellow employee or your supervisor? The law says that when you do this, you cannot be persecuted for revealing that wrongdoing. However, some workers and employers may attempt to skirt the law and retaliate against whistleblowers. Here are the six most common methods of workplace retaliation found by the National Business Ethics Survey (NBES):

  1. Left Behind – Were you excluded from a meeting or work activity after reporting harassment or discrimination? This is the most common form of retaliation according to the people who participated in the NBES. Of those participants who experienced workplace retaliation, 64 percent said they were excluded from workplace decisions and activities.
  2. Getting the Cold Shoulder – There was a tie for the second most common form of retaliation. Sixty-two percent of people who reported being retaliated against said that their fellow employees began ostracizing them.
  3. Managerial Abuse – Sixty-two percent of retaliation victims reported to the NBES that they were verbally abused by supervisors and management as a result of reporting violations.
  4. Almost Losing Your Job – The report says that 56 percent of retaliation victims almost lost their job after reporting an incident.
  5. Losing a Promotion or Raise – If you filed a complaint and then found out that you were not selected for a promotion you were qualified for, you are not alone. Fifty-five percent of NBES retaliation claimants reported they were passed over for raises and promotions.
  6. Retaliation in the Workplace by Coworkers – Bullying and intimidation can also follow the filing of a complaint. Fifty-one percent of retaliation victims in this survey claimed other employees verbally abused them after filing a complaint.

How Do I Deal with Workplace Retaliation?

Retaliation shouldn’t discourage you from standing up if you see an ethics violation where you work. Employers in California are required to provide a non-hostile work environment for their employees. If these requirements are not met, then companies should be held responsible for that negligence. The law also provides protections, so employees can speak out. If you need to learn more about these protections, contact the Los Angeles retaliation attorneys at Yadegar, Minoofar & Soleymani LLP at (310) 499-0140.