What if I’m bullied at work?
Bullying of any type should be discussed with your parents or guardian. If it comes from a co-worker, report it to your supervisor as well.
In April, 2008, the Indiana Supreme Court upheld a jury verdict of $325,000.00 against a heart surgeon who verbally assaulted the operator of the heart/lung machine. Testimony was presented to the jury that he was a workplace bully. The evidence before the jury included his aggressive and rapid advance on the victim with clenched fists, “piercing eyes, beet-red face, popping veins, and screaming and swearing at him.” There was no physical contact, but the victim suffered emotional distress from the incident.
Photo by Eddie-S (Flickr)
It doesn’t take this type of extreme behavior to make a case of workplace bullying. It’s important that you report any incident when it happens to someone you trust. Waiting may affect the outcome of any action you try to take later.
For great information, tips and resources about bullying, take a look at: www.pbskids.org, www.safeyouth.org, or www.kidshealth.org.
If you need information or have questions about cyberbullying, go to: www.wiredsafety.org and www.wiredkids.org.
This post was written by Tom Jacobs. Judge Tom is the founder and moderator of AsktheJudge.info. He is a retired juvenile judge and spent 23 years on the bench. He has written several books for lawyers and judges as well as teens and parents including the recently published 'Teen Cyberbullying Investigated' (Free Spirit Publishing). When he's not answering teens' questions, Judge Tom can be found hiking, traveling and reading.
