When employees experience different types of mistreatment at work, such as sexual harassment or discrimination, they often do not report what occurred. One study said that 58% of employees who either experienced unfairness at work or witnessed it happen to someone else never made a report to their supervisors or other levels of management. They had the legal ability to do so, but they chose not to.
There are many potential reasons why this happens. One is that some employees do not think management is going to take them seriously. They may not believe that any meaningful steps will be taken to rectify the situation, so reporting feels like a waste of time.
Fear of repercussions
Perhaps an even more significant issue is the fear of retaliation or repercussions specifically for making the report.
For example, an employee who is being harassed or discriminated against may want to speak up, knowing they do not deserve that treatment. But if they do, they are worried that they are going to be fired from their job, have their hours cut, have their pay reduced or see other negative ramifications. They may simply be worried about being labeled a troublemaker or silently blackballed so that they are passed over for any future promotions or raises.
Retaliation is also illegal
One important thing to keep in mind, as an employee, is that this type of retaliation is itself illegal. If you make a genuine report that you have faced harassment on the job and you are terminated as a result, your employer has violated your rights. It is very important to understand exactly what legal steps to take to protect your future.