Retaliation--What it is and Why it is so Damaging in the Workplace

Unintentional workplace retaliation is more and more common AND expensive in workplaces today. And it is true that the truth of the original claim of harassment or discrimination doesn’t really matter.  It could be found to be baseless or even fabricated yet the claim of retaliation is upheld.

This can be so frustrating for supervisors, managers, any “person in a position of power,” as they are still liable for taking any action deemed retaliatory. Retaliation is any adverse action that an employer takes against an employee who has filed a complaint of harassment or discrimination. 

According to the EEOC, nearly half of the claims that they are addressing today are not about sexual or other forms of harassment or discrimination but for retaliatory behavior against someone who has filed a claim or is participating in the investigation of a claim of harassment or discrimination! Beyond the typical employer actions like termination or discipline, retaliation may be well intentioned as with an employer trying to be helpful by moving two co-workers apart while the claim is investigated. Perhaps the one who filed the claim ends up away from the window she likes or away from her current work group making it feel that the separation is negative and retaliatory.    

• How the courts define Protected Classes and Protected Activities
• Examples of intentional and unintentional employer retaliation and retaliatory behaviors
• The components of a statement addressing retaliation to integrate into your workplace harassment policies

• How to hold your staff accountable for civility and respect in the face of a claim or harassment or discrimination
• Strategies to prevent retaliation in workplaces that YOU can implement immediately

What qualifies as retaliation?  Who is at risk?  What are protected classes and protected activities? What’s a manager to do when faced with a claim of harassment or discrimination?  What about other employees?  Can they be held liable? And how can we prevent retaliation in the first place?

Join Sheila Krejci, M ED national speaker and consultant as she explores these questions, describes actual cases of retaliation, and provides practical strategies you can put into practice immediately to prevent claims of retaliation in your workplace.

• Company board leaders
• Corporate leaders
• HR professionals 
• Managers
• First level supervisors
• Risk management professionals
• City, county and state leader
• Elected officials

Sheila Krejci, M ED, author, master facilitator and consultant at Sheila K Consulting, Inc. has trained and coached hundreds of corporate leaders, police and fire support staff, professional, technical and support employees and elected officials to recognize and mitigate the risks of inappropriate and destructive workplace behaviors, participate in the investigation of harassment and discrimination claims and model critical behaviors that encourage respect for healthier, happier, more productive workplaces.   Her recent courses, “Cultivating Workplaces of Respect and Civility—It Starts at the Top” and “A Manager’s Role in Cultivating a Workplace of Respect and Civility” have received accolades from national audiences for their practical strategies that can be immediately applied to all workplaces.

Sheila has been an adjunct faculty or staff member at the Universities of Minnesota, University of Arizona, and St. Thomas University the Dakota County Business & Professional Center in Minneapolis. As a leadership and organization development consultant, Sheila has led the Board of Directors of ATD in Minneapolis and is and an award-winning partner in Wiley Publishing.   President of her own training and development consulting company, Sheila is a frequent speaker at State and National Conferences like the National League of Cities, SHRM and ATD while a Master Trainer of Trainers and Presentations coach in corporate and non profit settings.