N.H. HUMAN RESOURCES –Many employees view the human relations or personnel department of a company as a safe place to go to tell their story. They get a nodding friendly reception and are told they appreciate the employee coming in and telling them about the conduct of Joe, Bill or whoever the harasser may be.
HR REALITY
The reality is that HR works for management and essentially has the job of shooting the wounded. So, by the time you get back to your work station your boss has already learned that you ratted him out and you’re getting the cold shoulder as well as reassigned interesting new complex projects, on a timeline you can’t meet. Then it goes toward your performance reviews which suddenly become dramatically lousy.
Based on my fifty years of experience practicing law, the independent HR department virtually does not exist. The only case I can remember was one where I called about a woman who was being harassed and I talked to the HR person. Three days later she called me back and said that her investigation was done and that she fired the supervisor and that my woman could come back to work the next day.
HR & MANAGEMENT
I told her I found that amazing because that had never happened before and she said that when she took the job she wanted assurance from the president that she could fire at will if she found someone deserved it.
As I say, that is the only time I’ve ever had that happen. Most always they side with management and do what management wants and that generally means getting rid of the complaining woman, not the harassing man.
Before you go to HR, call one of our employment lawyers because we only represent individuals and can best protect your rights and guide you in the process behind the scenes. Contact us at Douglas, Leonard & Garvey, P.C., (603) 288-1403 or fill out our online contact form.