Why do company owners, supervisors retaliate?

According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), retaliation is one of the most common forms of discrimination in the workplace. There are times when this is purposeful and times when it’s not, but either way, it can have a negative impact on the victim.

You have certain rights as an employee. For example, if you speak out against your employer for some form of illegal activity, you shouldn’t expect any form of retaliation. Unfortunately, this often happens.

From your perspective, it doesn’t matter why a company owner, supervisor or another employee retaliates against you. All you know is that your work life is no longer as enjoyable as it once was.

However, you should learn more about retaliation, including why it’s so common.

Retaliation begins when someone, in this case the employee, speaks up about some form of offense in the workplace. This can include but is not limited to sexual harassment or discrimination.

While there are laws in place to protect both employers and employees after a claim, retaliation may still come into play.

A company owner or supervisor may retaliate as a means of chasing you out of the company. They understand they can’t legally fire you for filing a complaint, so they hope that poor treatment, such as a demotion or pay cut, will force you to leave.

As an employee, it’s important to understand your legal rights in regard to retaliation. If this has become a problem, document what’s happening and collect evidence to back up your claim. This will help you if you decide to take legal action in the future.