A hostile work environment can ruin your employment experience and make work incredibly stressful. You may suffer from oppressive workloads, intimidation tactics, and even verbal abuse. Other workers may discriminate against you or even physically threaten you. These situations and many others may constitute a hostile work environment in Kentucky.
If you have experienced hostile working conditions, you may be entitled to compensation through a hostile work environment lawsuit. The experienced employment law attorneys at Abney Law are ready to speak with you and outline your options.
Hostile Work Environment Claims in Kentucky
The State of Kentucky recognizes several types of hostile work environment claims. Unbearable work conditions and discrimination frequently qualify, and too many workers suffer these conditions every single day. Of course, not every uncomfortable situation qualifies as a hostile work environment, but if you are dealing with significant problems, you situation may qualify.
An experienced hostile work environment lawyer often handles cases such as:
- Disability Discrimination Claims: People singled out because of their disability may suffer a hostile work environment. A supervisor may deny you reasonable accommodation to do your job and harass you because of your disability.
- Age Discrimination: Some employees are purposely hounded and abused to get them to quit over their age. Older workers often cost more, and companies use age discrimination tactics to remove older employees. These tactics may be both hostile and a violation of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967.
- Sexual Harassment: Many workers suffer hostile sexual harassment at work. Sexual intimidation, unwanted touching, suggestive comments, or even sexual assault could entitle you to file a hostile work environment claim and other employment law actions.
A hostile work environment may also occur if you suffer intimidating, abusive, or offensive behavior of other types. Pervasive and reoccurring conduct is especially problematic and may entitle you to significant compensation.
Factors in Determining a Hostile Work Environment
Your attorney will help you investigate your claim and substantiate the hostile work environment. If the case must go to court, it will consider multiple factors to determine whether your work environment qualifies as hostile. These factors include, but are not limited to:
- Did the employee suffer physical harassment, verbal harassment, or both?
- Does the employee fit a protected class based on age, gender, disability, race, ethnicity, or religion?
- Was the harassment caused by being a member of a protected class?
- Did the employer know about the hostile work environment and fail to act?
- Was the conduct such that it would be offensive to another of reasonable sensibilities?
- Was the offensive conduct repeated or consistent?
- Was the harasser a fellow employee or a supervisor?
- How did management act when it was made aware of the abuse?
These questions and potentially more may help determine whether your case qualifies as a hostile work environment. Your employment law lawyer can help analyze your particular case to determine the type and extent of abuse you face at work.
Steps To Prepare for a Hostile Work Environment Lawsuit
By taking a few steps, you can protect yourself and your legal rights. These include:
- Saving and gathering any communications that show the harassment
- Taking down names of witnesses who saw the abuse or hostile environment, including the perpetrator
- Take notes about what happened, when, and how management responded to the problem
- Follow your workplace’s policies on how to report the abuse
- Speak to a qualified employment law lawyer in Kentucky
Get Help With Your Hostile Work Environment Claim in Kentucky
You do not deserve to suffer in a hostile work environment. A legal claim can help stop the abuse and potentially win you compensation for everything you have been through.
Our experienced employment law attorneys at Abney Law are here to help. Contact us today for a consultation of your case.