TrainingBriefs® You’re Not a Team Player

Most people know that laws exist to protect employees from discrimination and harassment. However, many don't know these laws also protect employees from retaliation. That means employers cannot punish employees for making discrimination or harassment complaints or participating in workplace investigations. And punishment doesn't just mean firing or demotion: It can include other negative employment actions, from being denied a raise or transfer to a more desirable position to missing out on training or mentoring opportunities or being given an unjustified poor performance review.

One of the most important things to learn about retaliation is the fuzzy line between perception and reality. That's especially true when it comes to performance appraisals. They're one of the most common areas where it's easy to create the perception of retaliation.