Lois Krause, practice leader, HR compliance with KardasLarson, an HR consulting firm based in Glastonbury, Conn. stresses that employees must be realistic about their worth and who they can trust.

“In some organizations their boss may be the one to speak with, in others, it could be HR,” Krause says. “A third possibility may be that there is no one that can be confided in, so they will have to navigate their legal rights to get through the situation.”

Finding out if you are eligible for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and/or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is also an important step to take.

“If any employee is experiencing clinical depression or anxiety, the employee may be able to get a doctor’s note putting them on FMLA and possibly disability as well,” Krause explains. “If that is the case, going to HR may be their best option, as they would know the legal compliance issues and how to apply them properly. They should also read their employee handbook to see what type of benefits they may have in addition to the basic legal rights. They may also have an ADA claim, and the organization would be responsible for having an interactive discussion about a ‘reasonable accommodation.'”

One thing Krause says is never an option? Doing nothing and hoping things will get better.
Kathleen Furore, Chicago Tribune