Hate incidents at work

Studies made by equality campaigners, Stonewall, indicate that cases of hate crimes or incidents based on sexual orientation reported within the last year are up an alarming 78% since 2013.

Hate crime doesn’t just occur in the street – sadly they can and do happen in the workplace too. This can be blatantly in front of other staff, or in corridors, privately via email, text message or social media.

Life can be tough enough, without going to work every day to feel threatened, intimidated or victimised due to the actions of someone at work.

Any form of harassment, physical or mental abuse towards yourself or fellow colleagues must not be tolerated. The first step is to speak about it with your manager, or if it’s a colleague – maybe they want to talk it through before deciding to take action.

If you feel you aren’t getting anywhere with your manager (or if your manager is the cause of the problem), the next step is your Human Resources department. Every company has a duty of care towards its employees, and it’s HR’s responsibility to investigate the complaint.

If all else fails, know your legal rights – speak to your union or solicitor. Don’t suffer in silence.

How do I make a hate crime claim?

Before deciding if a claim is the best option for you, it’s important to seek initial legal advice. Oakwood Solicitors Ltd offers a free initial assessment and would be happy to examine any documents you have and discuss whether we think that action could be taken.

If you find a solicitor who believes that your claim has merits, it is important to consider the impact on your health that moving a claim forward may have. Litigation can be stressful and may have an adverse effect on your health.

We are not doctors, so we cannot give you medical advice – but we do have a duty to advise you that pursuing a claim will be a reminder of the stress that led to your psychiatric condition whilst it is ongoing.

The only outcome of a successful claim is financial compensation. You may see litigation as a way of getting answers, but most cases settle out of court, meaning that many questions may remain unanswered.

Doctors’ advice may be that you will only be able to make a good recovery from your illness once you can move on from your issues. Litigation may therefore delay your recovery. Any decision to proceed must be your own, in conjunction with medical advice.

If you agree to proceed with a claim, our team will be happy to explain the process in further detail with you.

WHAT TO DO NEXT

For confidential advice from our legal experts, call our Stress at Work team on 0113 200 9720, or contact us.

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