Business Retaliation – What is it and how to avoid it as a business owner!
Well, here is a quick story from personal experience. I think an example is the perfect way to kick this off.
A business owner with multiple locations for his car detailing business once contacted me. He had moved a female employee to another location after she reported harassment by her manager. The intention was to protect her, but the new location added 20 minutes to her daily commute. However, this well-meaning action could be seen as retaliation because it appears that the employee was punished for making her complaint. 😳😳😳
What is retaliation?
🌟 Obviously, if you have employees, it’s very important to understand what “retaliation” means. The Department of Labor (DOL) says retaliation happens when an employer (through a manager, supervisor, or administrator) fires an employee or takes other negative actions against them for doing something protected by law. A negative action is something that would make a reasonable employee hesitate to report a possible violation or take part in other protected activities.🌟
To prevent retaliation claims, consider the following steps:
✅ Understand your responsibilities! It is illegal to retaliate against employees for filing a complaint of discrimination, participating in an investigation or lawsuit, or opposing discrimination – so it is important to ensure you know and follow these rules.
✅ Treat employees consistently! Before making employment decisions that may negatively affect an employee, discuss them with your HR expert. This ensures fair practices and helps you remain compliant with HR laws.
✅ Communicate your rules and expectations! Make sure employees understand your business’s discrimination policies and that retaliation will not be tolerated. Accordingly, provide anti-harassment training to both employees and managers, emphasizing that managers have a higher level of responsibility.
✅ Hold employees accountable! Enforce your policies consistently. Ensure all employees understand and comply with your discrimination policies. Avoid a Business Retaliation EEOC Claim!
✅ Implement an HR hotline! An outsourced HR hotline allows employees to discuss concerns with an unbiased HR expert. This can help prevent retaliation claims and make employees feel more comfortable reporting issues.
Biz Owners & Managers, I’d love to connect with you!!
Did you know that Business Retaliation is one of the top EEOC claims every year? Let’s avoid it together!
Schedule an initial call here: Schedule a call to discuss your needs.
Also…If you’re a U.S.-based HR professional seeking insights, resources, and a supportive community, join the waitlist for my upcoming launch here, I am so excited to bring together HR professionals of all levels, backgrounds, and experiences into my new HR community!
➡️ Join Now!! 🥳🥳🥳 https://katieannspadoro.com/
Chat soon! 🤗