A co-worker has threatened me, and I'm afraid to go to work. How do I handle this situation?
Wednesday February 3, 2010
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What do I do? This past week a co-worker was suspended for an incident off our unit on company time. She was told to leave the building but, instead, she came to me asking why I got her suspended. I attempted to call my managers for help and this co-worker hung up the phone twice.
She started to poke me wanting to know the answer. I yelled at her to stop touching me and immediately contacted my manager. I have no direct witnesses even though there were other co-workers in the room. (They saw but didn't hear). She has aggressively intimidated me and other co-workers for months and, in some cases, years. And I believe management on several occasions spoke to her before her suspension.
The bottom line is I'm afraid to go to work next week. I fear the retaliation from this individual for calling management for help. What are my options?
Stressed Out
Any kind of physical or verbal harassment by a co-worker should not be tolerated by the employee who is the subject of this kind of behavior or by nursing and facility administration. It would be unusual if the employer did not have an employee conduct code that would include any kind of physical or verbal attacks against another employee and the ramifications of doing so. It would be important for you to check the employee handbook and the options available under that policy. Utilizing whatever options you have as soon as possible is a high priority.
You also should consult with a nurse attorney or attorney in your state who can advise you about further protections in this situation. For example, your attorney's call to the CNO might help speed your complaint under the policy governing this issue. However, internal protections might not be enough to quell this person's conduct. The attorney can advise you of the options of seeking an order of protection against this person and filing a police report, as examples.
There is a wealth of information about workplace violence on the Internet, including bulletins and risk management options for employees and employers, what to do if an employee is a victim of violence or potential violence, and so forth. Many of these documents are published by governmental organizations established to protect workers in the work place (e.g., NIOSH). Simply place "workplace violence" in your online search engine for these results.
Your safety is the most important issue in this situation. Ensuring it as soon as possible is vital, since the co-worker's conduct could escalate into more threatening behavior.
Cordially,
Nancy
Nancy J. Brent, RN, MS, JD, is an attorney in private practice in Wilmette, Ill. This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended as legal or any other advice. The reader is encouraged to seek the advice of an attorney or other professional when an opinion is needed.
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