Bullying and intimidation
Repeated criticism, humiliation, threats, shouting, isolation, or sabotage that undermines a person's ability to work. It is not a personality clash if it is one-sided and repeated.
Workplace FairnessA form of abuse
Workplace abuse and harassment
Workplace abuse is a pattern of mistreatment, harassment, intimidation, or exploitation in a work setting. It includes bullying, sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and abuse of power by supervisors, colleagues, or customers. It causes harm to the target's health, career, and economic security.
Why this matters
What survivors already know
Most adults spend more waking hours at work than anywhere else. When work becomes a place of fear, humiliation, or coercion, it affects not only the job but also physical health, mental health, relationships, and finances.
Workplace abuse often hides behind performance management, personality conflicts, or the demands of the job. A boss who screams, a colleague who sabotages, a supervisor who makes sexual advances, or a company that punishes reporting are all patterns of abuse, not bad days.
People stay because they need the income, the insurance, the references, or the immigration status tied to the job. Economic dependence is a powerful form of control, and it is why workplace abuse cannot be solved by telling people to just quit.
The definition
What it actually is
Sexual harassment
Unwelcome sexual advances, comments, jokes, touching, or requests for sexual favours. It includes harassment by supervisors, co-workers, or customers, and it is illegal under U.S. federal law.
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionDiscrimination and retaliation
Treating someone unfairly because of race, gender, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, pregnancy, or other protected characteristics. Retaliation for reporting abuse or discrimination is also illegal.
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionEconomic abuse
Withholding pay, changing hours, denying promotions, threatening termination, or controlling benefits as punishment. This is especially dangerous for people in low-wage jobs or on work visas.
Workplace FairnessHow it works
The tactics, named one by one
Performance masking
Abuse is framed as feedback, coaching, or high standards. The target is told they are too sensitive, cannot take criticism, or are not a team player.
Workplace FairnessMobbing
A group of colleagues or a supervisor turns others against the target, spreading rumours, withholding support, and making the workplace hostile.
Workplace FairnessQuid pro quo harassment
A supervisor implies or demands sexual favours in exchange for job benefits, or threatens negative consequences for refusal.
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionRetaliation
After a person reports abuse or discrimination, they are demoted, excluded, given worse assignments, or terminated. Retaliation is illegal and common.
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionHow to identify it
Signs to look for
One of these on its own may mean nothing. Several of them together, repeated over time, is a pattern, and a pattern is what abuse looks like from the inside.
- 01You are regularly humiliated, shouted at, or criticised in front of others.
- 02You are excluded from meetings, information, or opportunities that affect your work.
- 03Your work is sabotaged, or your contributions are stolen or dismissed.
- 04You receive unwanted sexual comments, advances, or physical contact.
- 05Your hours, pay, or duties are changed as punishment.
- 06You are afraid to report problems because of retaliation.
- 07Your health is suffering: insomnia, anxiety, headaches, or panic attacks related to work.
- 08You feel trapped because you need the income, benefits, or immigration status.
Who it happens to
No one group is exempt
Abuse does not respect age, gender, income, faith, or country. These are the people most often affected by this particular form.
Workers in all industries and at all levels, from retail and hospitality to medicine, law, and technology.
Women, people of colour, immigrants, LGBTQ+ workers, people with disabilities, and workers in low-wage jobs are at higher risk and face more barriers to reporting.
Young workers and interns, who may not know their rights or feel powerless to speak up.
People whose immigration status, housing, or healthcare depends on their job.
What it costs
The damage it leaves behind
Mental health
Anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, burnout, and suicidal thoughts. Workplace abuse can cause harm that lasts long after the job ends.
World Health Organization, Violence against womenPhysical health
Chronic stress is linked to cardiovascular disease, sleep disorders, digestive problems, and weakened immune function.
World Health Organization, Abuse of older peopleEconomic harm
Lost wages, lost benefits, missed promotions, forced job changes, and damage to reputation and references. Retaliation can push a person out of their field.
Workplace FairnessCareer and identity
Workplace abuse can make a person doubt their skills, their worth, and their right to a safe workplace. The harm is both professional and personal.
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionHow to deal with it
What to do, depending on where you are standing
If it is happening to you
- 01
Document everything. Keep a record of incidents, dates, witnesses, emails, texts, and any reports you make. Save copies outside of work systems.
- 02
Review your employee handbook, union agreement, and relevant laws. In the U.S., the EEOC handles discrimination and harassment complaints.
- 03
Report through the proper channels if you can do so safely: HR, a supervisor, a union representative, or an ethics hotline.
- 04
If you are in immediate danger or being physically threatened, call 911.
- 05
Consult an employment attorney or a legal aid organisation. Many offer free consultations, and some handle cases on contingency.
- 06
Take care of your health. Workplace abuse can cause serious stress. A doctor, therapist, or counsellor can help.
If someone you care about is in it
- 01
Believe the person. Do not assume they are difficult or oversensitive. Workplace abuse is often hidden behind performance language.
- 02
Encourage documentation. Help them think through what is recorded, what witnesses exist, and what policies apply.
- 03
Support them without pressuring them to quit. They may need income, benefits, or immigration status.
- 04
If you are in a position to do so, document what you witness and report it through appropriate channels. Retaliation is illegal.
- 05
Help them find legal and mental health resources. A knowledgeable attorney can make a significant difference.
Where to get help
People who will take this seriously
If you are in immediate danger, call your local emergency number first. Everything below is confidential and none of it requires you to make a decision today.
1-800-669-4000 · eeoc.gov · file a charge
U.S. federal agency that enforces laws against workplace discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.
workplacefairness.org · rights and legal information
Information about workers' rights, including wrongful termination, harassment, discrimination, and retaliation.
1-866-487-9243 · dol.gov · wage and hour division
Information on wages, hours, safety, and retaliation protections for workers.
1-800-799-7233 · text START to 88788
Support for people whose workplace abuse is connected to domestic violence or intimate partner control.
Questions
The questions people actually ask
Is workplace bullying illegal?
It depends. Bullying based on a protected characteristic, such as race, sex, religion, disability, or age, is illegal. Some states and countries also have broader anti-bullying laws for workplaces. An employment attorney can advise you.
What if HR is part of the problem?
If HR is not safe, you can report to a government agency. In the U.S., the EEOC handles discrimination and harassment. You may also consult an attorney or contact a union if you have one.
Can I be fired for reporting harassment?
Retaliation for reporting discrimination or harassment is illegal in the U.S. If you are fired or punished for reporting, you may have a legal claim.
What if I cannot afford to quit?
Many people cannot. Document the abuse, seek legal advice, and explore whether you can report while staying in your job. Some legal aid organisations can help you understand your options without cost.
Everyone deserves a workplace where they can do their job without fear. Workplace abuse is not toughness, and it is not leadership. It is harm, and there are legal and practical ways to push back.