Workplace bullying is a growing problem. It disrupts productivity and makes employees miserable at work. But it isn’t always clear what counts as workplace bullying. Employees may not realize they are a victim or know what they can do to stop the abuse.

In this blog post, I will describe workplace bullying and give you some behaviors to watch for. I will also explain what you can do if you witness or are the target of bullying and explain some of the legal options available.

Types of Workplace Bullying

There are as many types of workplace bullying as there are working environments. A bully uses whatever means will give him or her the most power or control over the targets. Some common bullying methods include:

• Yelling, screaming, and cursing
• Berating or humiliating comments
• Double-speak intended to destroy the target’s credibility or reputation
• Constant criticism and misplaced blame
• Denial of resources, time, or information needed to do the job
• Using personal information against the targets
• Demands that things be done the bully’s way
• Flaunting superiority in role or knowledge
• Emotional manipulation

How to Identify Workplace Bullying

According to Dr. Judy Blando of the University of Phoenix, nearly 75% of employees have been affected by workplace bullying — either as a target or a witness. But not everyone realizes what they are seeing. Workplace bullying is repeated, abusive conduct targeting one or more person. It can be threatening, humiliating, or intimidating. It can also include workplace sabotage, preventing the targeted employees from getting their work done. According to the Workplace Bullying Institute, the behavior:

• Is driven by the bully’s need to control the targeted employees
• Is initiated by the bully, who chooses when, where, how, and to whom the bullying happens
• Escalates over time by involving others or becoming increasingly abusive
• Places the bully’s personal agenda over the company’s business interests
• Results in health, well-being and professional consequences to the targets

The victims of bullying suffer a wide variety of mental and even physical injuries. They may question their own competency or find themselves suffering from headaches, indigestion, or sleeplessness. Eventually, many workplace bullying victims must take time off to address these injuries. They may find themselves making the hard choice to quit to escape workplace harassment.

How to Stop Bullying at Work

Unfortunately, bullying isn’t automatically illegal at the federal level. Many states do have worker protection laws that cover some bullying tactics, like cyberbullying. However, federal and state laws usually require a bully to be motivated by a particular bias before they kick in.

Employees need to know what they can do to stop bullying at work. Workplace bullying can be encouraged or discouraged by company policies and a corporate culture that favors certain “high performers” or personality types. In those cases, it will often take the combined voices of victims and witnesses alike complaining about a bully’s behavior before an employer will take action. If you’re thinking about speaking up, you may want to build support among your coworkers.

Medium and large companies often have internal complaint systems in place to address workplace bullying and other forms of harassment. They may also have anti-bullying policies or behavior guidelines that can be used as a shield. Your HR department or union representative should be able to explain options available to you internally. An experienced workplace harassment attorney can also help you negotiate for changes in corporate policy and culture that make it harder for bullies to avoid discipline.

What to Do When Workplace Bullying is Illegal

Bullying itself may not be against federal law, but many of the ways bullying happens fall within Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. If an abuser’s conduct is based on race, gender, religion, or other protected traits, you may be able to file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or in federal court. In other cases, an employer’s treatment of a bullying incident may violate the company’s written policy or its employment contracts. In those cases, a contract enforcement lawsuit can force businesses to put an end to the abuse.

Fighting against workplace bullying takes creativity and the ability to see the big picture. At Eisenberg & Baum, LLP, our experienced employment discrimination attorneys know how to push employers to change their ways. Protect yourself and your job from becoming a victim of bullying. Contact us to schedule a consultation and find out what we can do to help.