A large number of people have the privilege to work from home. Online work can mean that many employees can gain a sense of peace and privacy away from workplace harassment and discrimination.
However, workplace harassment and discrimination can follow employees anywhere. Online harassment is a growing issue. Workplace harassment may be more aggressive and invasive than in-person work. Here is how it happens:
1. You receive hostile texts, calls or emails
One of the most common forms of harassment that online employees may face is hostile tests, calls or emails. Harassers can easily harass their victims at every hour of the day. These texts, calls or emails could be sexual in nature, derogatory or include violent threats.
2. You were doxxed
Companies have a lot of private information about their employees, such as home addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, banking info, Social Security numbers, etc. If an employee’s private information was released to the public, it could potentially endanger and disrupt their life.
An employee could be a victim of doxxing. Doxxing means the publication of private and identifying information on the internet. An employee who was doxxed could then receive threats, suffer from identity theft or be stalked as a result of the malicious intent. Doxxing could be an act of workplace harassment if the information was revealed by a co-worker or employer.
3. You are being stalked
An online employee could be stalked by their co-worker or employer. This could happen if a co-worker or employer suddenly shows up at the victim’s home or work environment. The victim could also receive unwelcoming and invasive letters, calls or texts.
However, online workers could also be cyberstalked. Cyberstalking can happen if an employer or co-worker is following a victim on multiple social media accounts, sending emails to private accounts or tracking a victim’s movements.
If you are a victim of workplace harassment, then you have the right to report the harasser and seek legal help to learn about your next move. The sooner you respond to a harasser’s actions, the sooner peace can be returned to your life.
