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Is bullying illegal? The short answer is no. However, bullying in the workplace can constitute as unlawful harassment if it leads to a hostile work environment and/or if it is on the basis of a protected category, such as sex, race, religion, nationality. 

What Is Bullying and How Is It Different From Harassment?

Bullying is defined as a pattern of an undesired and aggressive behavior “that involves a real or perceived power imbalance.” Bullying can take verbal, social, and physical forms. According to

Great Hearts Western Hills, a public charter school in San Antonio, Texas, faced intense criticism after firing an employee for wearing a Black Lives Matter face mask to work. According to a CNN article, Lillian White, an art teacher at the school, lost her job for wearing a face mask that displayed “Silence is Violence” and “Black Lives Matter” messages across the front.  Considering the current social movement surrounding racial issues in the country, White explained that she wanted to show

In an article published in The Washington Post, Apple, a multinational technology company, was accused of wage and labor violations in Chinese factories. A non-profit advocacy group named China Labor Watch accused Apple of the labor violations, “including withholding bonus payments, rolling back safety training and employing more temporary workers than China’s laws allow.” According to the article, these reports were found after investigators worked undercover at the biggest iPhone factory in Zhengzhou, China. Unfortunately, this instance is not the first

The deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, among many others at the hands of police, have motivated a series of social change. More people have become aware of injustices and inequalities that exist within the country and have become more conscious, vocal, and active agents of change. Conversations that would normally be seen as “uncomfortable” are now encouraged in the workplace, in schools, and even in professional sports. This social change has prompted individuals to become more involved in

An article published on Forbes last month entailed the role of frontline managers and their importance in cultivating a

happy and productive work environment. Laura Putman, the Founder and CEO of Motion Infusion, stated in the article that frontline managers play a key role in “determining employee, health, happiness, and engagement.” In a research study conducted at Karolinska Institutet, managerial leadership had a major effect on whether employees changed jobs or became unemployed. According to the article, frontline managers are essential

Jordan Kafenbaum, a former SoulCycle executive, filed a lawsuit against her employer for alleged pregnancy discrimination. SoulCycle, a popular cardio-focused workout studio, was co-founded by Elizabeth Cutler and Julie Rice. There are currently over 90 studios across the country, and the company is soon expected to expand internationally with its first studio in London. The “millennial-beloved company,” however, continues to be criticized for being a toxic workplace, according to an article published on Forbes. Kafenbaum stated in the same article

Last month, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed a lawsuit against United Airlines on the basis of religious discrimination. In an article written in New York and posted on JDSupra, a Buddhist pilot was diagnosed with alcohol dependency and had to obtain a new medical certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). In order to do so, United Airlines conducts a program for pilots who struggle with substance abuse, which requires regular attendance at Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). The

Earlier this month, Variety, a popular American media company, reported on a lawsuit filed against Live Nation for race and gender discrimination. Candace Newman, an executive employee of Live Nation, a major entertainment company, claimed that she was retaliated against for speaking out about race and gender discrimination in the workplace. Soon after her complaint, Newman was furloughed for supposed Covid-19-related staff reductions which she believes was simply an excuse. The suit, filed in L.A. County Superior Court, states that

Following the rapid surge of Covid-19 cases back in April, many began to wonder if wearing a mask in public would help protect them from the virus. In his speech on TheStreet, Dr. Anthony Fauci, a physician and an immunologist who is one of the lead members of the Trump Administration’s White House Coronavirus Task Force, stated that wearing a mask can prevent the spread of the virus to a certain degree. Since then, some states, including New York, have required people

In recent months, conversations around institutional racism and equality have become widespread in the wake of George Floyd’s and Breonna Taylor’s deaths. Many individuals are engaging in discussions to learn about racial injustice and how individual members of society can promote change. Included in these dialogues are black employees at ESPNwho have shared their personal experiences with discrimination behind the cameras. In an article published by the New York Times, several black employees spoke about their displeasure with the major sports media