Verbal Abuse in the Workplace

Verbal abuse at work can be a number of things: direct or indirect hurtful words, offensive/insulting phrases disguised as benign language, intimidating tones of voice, or belittling humorous comments used to isolate a worker both mentally and emotionally. Most of the time an abuser strives to place him or herself above the victim to feed into his or her own insecurities and empower themselves in the process.

The victim usually experiences these situations alone and thus is unable to provide witnesses. Most of the time, also, the abuser is a in a position of power and is many times perceived as the “good guy” to other people within the company. Coworkers may also have a hard time believing the victim due to never having felt the same oppression themselves.

The abuser's attitude often confuses the victim and obstructs him or her from being able to develop a fair relationship with the abuser. In many instances, the abuser suffers from low self esteem which he or she tries to overcompensate for through an abusive attitude and language.

Some Signs of Verbal Abuse

Verbal abuse can take many forms, and is often unnoticed by individuals who are willing to give abusive co-workers “the benefit of the doubt”. You should consider talking to an employment attorney about possible verbal abuse if you have any experienced any of the following:

• A constant feeling of not being up to par with the rest of your coworkers
• Feeling ignored for your efforts, usually due to “nitpicking”
• Sarcastic or other remarks counterproductive to your emotional being
• Being alienated
• Passing blame
• Discussion on work performance in a public work setting
• Refusals to speak about certain issues
• Anything that impedes maintaining a professional relationship in the workplace

Contact Us

If you think that you or a coworker has been verbally abused, contact the Houston employment lawyers of the Ross Law Group at 713-482-6910 today to discuss your legal rights and options.