Assaulted at Work – What Are Your Rights?

The last place anyone expects to feel unsafe is at work. It’s supposed to be a place where individuals can grow financially and professionally, and hone their skills and capabilities.

So, when you have to deal with an aggressive and obnoxious colleague, a peaceful working environment can turn into a nightmare.

Last year, 642,000 employees reported being physically assaulted at work. Out of this, 56 percent of employees reported being assaulted once, while 16 percent reported being assaulted twice. And 25 percent reported being assaulted thrice.

Reports further found that 64 percent of the assaults did not result in a physical injury while 36 percent resulted in minor bruising or injuries.

Most Common Forms of Bullying in the Workplace

It can be difficult to identify colleagues who indulge in bullying or aggressive behaviour. This is mainly due to the fact that most employees brush it off.

Signs of bullying that you should look out for include:

• Name-calling
• Body-shaming
• Glaring
• Pulling the hair of a co-worker
• Spitting at a fellow employee
• Threatening a co-worker (verbally and physically)
• Making inappropriate, sexual comments about a colleague
• Pulling their arm or hitting them
• Making demeaning comments

If not taken care of earlier on, these issues can encourage the bully and can result in physical assault.

The Effects of Workplace Bullying

Besides the obvious trauma and physiological issues, workplace bullying and assault can lead to:

• Absenteeism
• Loss of production
• A negative image of the company
• Sudden resignation (loss of employees)
• Problems recruiting or retaining a skilled employee
• Poor work relations between employees

These are just some of the many problems that can occur if physical assault isn’t take n care of.

If you have been a victim of assault at work, know that it’s not your fault. Every workplace has a policy for harassment and physical assault. It’s best to take it up with HR and the management. However, if that does not help, the best course of action is to consult a solicitor.

A solicitor can help you get legal action for the violation of your rights.

At Wembley Solicitors, we provide legal aid in workplace injuries, as well as workplace assaults.

To learn more about what we have to offer and how we can help, feel free to call us at 020 3417 3700, or send an email to info@wembleysolicitors.com for any queries.