According to a nationwide survey of over 3,000 people in the tech industry, the move to remote work has led to a dramatic increase in workplace harassment and hostility. The survey was performed by Project Include, a California based nonprofit that promotes diversity in the tech industry.
Among those surveyed, women of color were among the most impacted by the increase in toxic behaviors. However, reports of harassment based on race, gender identity, and age all increased among several groups.
Increased hours, fuzzier boundaries between work and home life, and lack of training regarding harassment in an online setting may have all contributed to the rise in discrimination.
If you are experiencing harassment in a remote setting, document the incident and report it to a supervisor. If that fails, you may want to consider filing a charge with the EEOC or your local civil rights administrative agency. Companies struggling with online harassment should carefully document and investigate complaints and make sure there are reporting procedures available to all employees. Also consider additional training for employees regarding harassment in an online workplace.
If you have questions about online harassment, contact us for a free, 30-minute consultation with an employment lawyer.
