Helping a Friend

[Everettkid19]

What is the name of your state? Washington

At my place of employment, we are required to wear name badges at all time while in the building. A friend of mine had her badge on but a jacket over it and was stopped by security. The security guard grabbed her and shook her screaming and yelling at her that he would have her written up and that she would get in trouble. She showed him her badge and he grabbed for it, (missing and grabbing her chest instead) she was very scared and still is to this day. She filed a police report and a complaint at work, however HR dodged her and took almost a week to respond to the complaint and after all was said and done he is still working there. She no longer feels safe at work, and thinks this situation was handled badly. I looked into the company policies and rules etc... and if you are caught not wearing your badge you are to be escorted out of the building, not attacked. Also, all over the work rules it states numerous times that creating a hostile unsafe work enviornment for another associate is punishable with termination... what should she do?

 

[Beth3]

Either get over it or find another job.

I presume there were no witnesses to this situation, therefore HR/company management has to make a decision based on plausibilty and credibilty. It's more likely than not this is what happened: (1) the security guard was being overzealous in his job and (2) your friend has characterized what took place way out of proportion. It is simply not plausible that the guard grabbed her and screamed at her and shook her and yelled at her. I expect she did have an unpleasant altercation with a security guard. I also expect her reaction is out of proportion to what took place.

Since none of us was there, we can't know for sure - nor can her employer - so decisions have to be made on the basis of what probably took place which does indeed leave margin for error. In any event, even if what she describes is accurate, it did not constitute a hostile or unsafe workplace.

 

[Everettkid19]

witness

I should have mentioned this before, there was a witness, she was with another associate at the time, and the other associate is just as freaked out about the situation as she is.

 

[Everettkid19]

still looking for an answer

is there anything she can do in this situation, there was a witness involved.