Many businesses take complains personally, and this is understandable. We all want to think of our workplace as one free of harassment, discrimination, and other hostile elements which can make work uncomfortable. However, complains do arise, and it is important for a company to take these complains seriously. Most importantly, it is important for a business not to retaliate against an employee. Even if a particular complaint is deemed to be unfounded, as a St. Louis labor law attorney, it is best to let the matter rest instead of making it worse by retaliating against the employee.
St. Louis Labor Law Attorney and a $1.2 Million Verdict for Retaliation
A recent case in Virginia highlights the importance of consulting with a St. Louis labor law attorney in order to avoid retaliation lawsuits. In this case, a woman alleged that, during her four year employment, she suffered numerous instances of sexual harassment from coworkers. After several complaints about this alleged behavior, HR sent her a severance agreement which would effectively end her employment with the company. Instead of signing it, she sued in federal court for sexual harassment and retaliation. While the judge rule in favor of the employer regarding the harassment, he awarded the woman $1.2 million in damages for the employer’s retaliation.
Contacting a St. Louis labor law attorney to help map out conduct when investigating claims made by employees can help a company avoid these costly lawsuits. This attorney can work with HR and with a business’s board of directors to clarify what is acceptable and unacceptable when investigating a harassment claim in the workplace. This way, a business can avoid expensive, time-consuming lawsuits while ensuring that employees are treated fairly under the law.
