#WorkplaceSafety #UncomfortableSituation #HRSupportNeeded
Hey everyone, I need some advice on a tricky situation I’ve been dealing with at work in Texas. I have a co-worker who has been making me feel extremely uncomfortable lately, and I’m not quite sure how to handle it. Here’s the rundown:
– My co-worker stares at me excessively and has been going out of his way to be around me during breaks.
– Even after I changed my break times and tried to avoid him, he still seeks me out and invades my personal space.
– Recently, he even followed me inside during my break and sat directly across from me, making me feel unsafe.
I’ve confided in a trusted co-worker who has also noticed his behavior, but I’m not sure if I should bring this up to my supervisor or HR. I’ve never been in this situation before and it’s really starting to affect me.
Do you think I should speak up about this? If so, how should I go about it? Any advice or similar experiences you can share would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for your help! 🙏🏼
If you do bring it up to your supervisor or HR, I would do it by email, I wouldn’t do it verbally. I admit “he stares at me” seems pretty mild on paper but if you’re going to make any protected complaint you should always do that in writing. You have to decide for yourself if you want to do it!
I also suggest sharing this with your supervisor and HR in writing.
I would put in details how you moved to avoid and how he followed you. That would be important
Because so far, it doesn’t sound like you have told him that what he’s doing is unwelcomed or that you want him to stay away from you apart from work related interaction. But contextually, moving away and then him following you paints a picture
Think about what you want. Not just a “I’m letting you know”
Do you want a different break time for both of you in writing, do you want to move to a different site, do you want someone to speak to him?
Share your feelings that you feel unsafe
Document all the break overlaps, present a time line to HR
Maybe chat to him about your boyfriend and how you are In a happy committed relationship. If he says something weird, Document it.
If you work for a large company, keep in mind they may get a government kick back for hiring individuals with disabilities