Silver Spring, MD Hostile Work Environment Attorneys

Dedicated Workplace Harassment Lawyers Representing Victims in Silver Spring, Maryland

A hostile work environment can interfere with your ability to perform the core functions of your job. It may even reach a point where you feel pressured to leave for the sake of your own mental health. However, you are not without options. A Silver Spring employment law attorney can help you file a complaint in a hostile work environment.

Knowing your rights is imperative for pushing back against a hostile work environment. At Melehy & Associates LLC, we can advise you of what to do when faced with workplace harassment and help you pursue the best possible outcome. We can work toward an appropriate remedy, such as injunctive relief and/or direct financial compensation.

What Is a Hostile Work Environment?

Identifying a hostile work environment can be difficult. Sometimes, employers will dismiss harassment as jokes, dismissing complaints from employees. This can lead to troubling behaviors going unaddressed, contributing to a toxic culture within the workplace.

A hostile work environment is generally understood as repeated harassment or discrimination perpetuated by other employees or supervisors. In order to qualify as a hostile environment, the negative behaviors must be pervasive enough to affect your ability to do your job. A hostile work environment may involve different kinds of inappropriate acts, such as:

• Making disparaging comments about a protected class (race, gender, sexuality, et cetera)
• Making unwanted physical contact
• Using slurs or epithets directed toward certain groups
• Harassing an employee with lewd remarks or gestures

If you believe that your employer has allowed or created a hostile work environment, you should start documenting every instance of harassment or discrimination. Making note of these incidents can help you build a stronger case for a formal complaint.

How Can I Report a Hostile Work Environment?

First and foremost, you should report the harassment or discrimination to the HR department at your workplace. If there is no HR department or equivalent, try to get in contact with a supervisor. This step should not be overlooked. Even if your employer does not do anything to address the hostile work environment, it is important that you have a record of your attempt to resolve the situation at your workplace.

If you cannot resolve the situation internally, you have other options to file a complaint. The Maryland Commission on Civil Rights handles complaints regarding workplace discrimination. Alternatively, you could file a complaint through the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, where you can report an employer for discrimination or harassment.

Whichever option you choose, be sure to act promptly. Workplace discrimination or harassment complaints are subject to time limits, with 300 days for state-level complaints and 180 days for federal complaints. At Melehy & Associates LLC, we can help you file a complaint as efficiently as possible.

Can My Employer Fire Me for Reporting a Hostile Work Environment?

It is illegal for an employer to take punitive action against you for filing a complaint. This is known as retaliation, and if you have been wrongfully terminated or otherwise punished for exercising your rights, you can file another complaint to get a fair remedy for your damages. A remedy could involve reinstatement into your role, compensation for your damages, or other appropriate action to make you whole.

Contact a Silver Spring, Maryland Workplace Harassment Lawyer Today

Speaking out against a hostile work environment takes courage. At Melehy & Associates LLC, we can support you in this endeavor, helping you take action through an official channel. Our Silver Spring discrimination attorneys have decades of shared experience, so you can rest assured that your case will be handled by seasoned professionals. To schedule a free case evaluation today, call our offices at 301-587-6364 or contact us online.