Mixing
Determining proper word for a situation
I work at a call center. I said something somebody I work didn't like. I was working. They came behind me while working and just kept calling my name and would not leave me alone. I reported this to HR as harassment. HR told me this was not harassment. So, what is the proper word to describe a situation like this?
word-usage
asked Jan 27 at 20:30
Donna Samec-Ollis DavenportDonna Samec-Ollis Davenport
111
add a comment |
I work at a call center. I said something somebody I work didn't like. I was working. They came behind me while working and just kept calling my name and would not leave me alone. I reported this to HR as harassment. HR told me this was not harassment. So, what is the proper word to describe a situation like this?
word-usage
asked Jan 27 at 20:30
Donna Samec-Ollis DavenportDonna Samec-Ollis Davenport
111
Cascabel is right. It may be that ‘harassment’ is covered by the company’s code of conduct, in which case you need to study it and decide if HR is taking a fair view of the situation. At all events the issue you raise sounds more to me like a legal or quasi-legal one than a matter of English language usage.
– Tuffy
Jan 27 at 22:24
add a comment |
I work at a call center. I said something somebody I work didn't like. I was working. They came behind me while working and just kept calling my name and would not leave me alone. I reported this to HR as harassment. HR told me this was not harassment. So, what is the proper word to describe a situation like this?
word-usage
asked Jan 27 at 20:30
Donna Samec-Ollis DavenportDonna Samec-Ollis Davenport
111
I work at a call center. I said something somebody I work didn't like. I was working. They came behind me while working and just kept calling my name and would not leave me alone. I reported this to HR as harassment. HR told me this was not harassment. So, what is the proper word to describe a situation like this?
word-usage
word-usage
asked Jan 27 at 20:30
Donna Samec-Ollis DavenportDonna Samec-Ollis Davenport
111
asked Jan 27 at 20:30
Donna Samec-Ollis DavenportDonna Samec-Ollis Davenport
111
asked Jan 27 at 20:30
Donna Samec-Ollis DavenportDonna Samec-Ollis Davenport
111
asked Jan 27 at 20:30
Donna Samec-Ollis DavenportDonna Samec-Ollis Davenport
111
asked Jan 27 at 20:30
Donna Samec-Ollis DavenportDonna Samec-Ollis Davenport
111
111
Cascabel is right. It may be that ‘harassment’ is covered by the company’s code of conduct, in which case you need to study it and decide if HR is taking a fair view of the situation. At all events the issue you raise sounds more to me like a legal or quasi-legal one than a matter of English language usage.
– Tuffy
Jan 27 at 22:24
add a comment |
Cascabel is right. It may be that ‘harassment’ is covered by the company’s code of conduct, in which case you need to study it and decide if HR is taking a fair view of the situation. At all events the issue you raise sounds more to me like a legal or quasi-legal one than a matter of English language usage.
– Tuffy
Jan 27 at 22:24
Cascabel is right. It may be that ‘harassment’ is covered by the company’s code of conduct, in which case you need to study it and decide if HR is taking a fair view of the situation. At all events the issue you raise sounds more to me like a legal or quasi-legal one than a matter of English language usage.
– Tuffy
Jan 27 at 22:24
Cascabel is right. It may be that ‘harassment’ is covered by the company’s code of conduct, in which case you need to study it and decide if HR is taking a fair view of the situation. At all events the issue you raise sounds more to me like a legal or quasi-legal one than a matter of English language usage.
– Tuffy
Jan 27 at 22:24
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
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votes
I believe that harassment is the correct word.
Here are two of the senses of the Merriam-Webster definition of harass:
1 b (1) : to annoy persistently
// was harassing his younger brother
1 b (2) : to create an unpleasant or hostile situation for
especially by uninvited and unwelcome verbal or physical conduct
// was being harassed by her classmates
// claims that the police were unfairly harassing him
From the description of a colleague standing behind you and constantly repeating your name, despite you saying you didn't like—and, presumably, being annoying in a persistent fashion, I would say it was a clear case of harassment based on the English definition of the word.
Having said that, however, the HR department at your company might have a different definition of the word they use as part of their own policies.
If so, a more accurate response could have been:
"We acknowledge that it was harassment in the commonly used sense of the word, but it's unfortunately not something we can act on. Per our policies, actionable harassment is defined as . . ."
answered Jan 27 at 21:42
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
19.1k32245
+1 agree with you
– lbf
Jan 27 at 23:17
Thank you, I appreciate all responses. This give me very good insight into the matter.
– Donna Samec-Ollis Davenport
Jan 28 at 19:52
add a comment |
I would call the behavior of your colleagues DISTURBANCE.
According to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disturbance:
disturbance
: the act of disturbing
: the state of being disturbed
// apologized for creating a disturbance
answered Jan 27 at 21:12
user307254user307254
3,5552516
add a comment |
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
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active
oldest
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active
oldest
votes
I believe that harassment is the correct word.
Here are two of the senses of the Merriam-Webster definition of harass:
1 b (1) : to annoy persistently
// was harassing his younger brother
1 b (2) : to create an unpleasant or hostile situation for
especially by uninvited and unwelcome verbal or physical conduct
// was being harassed by her classmates
// claims that the police were unfairly harassing him
From the description of a colleague standing behind you and constantly repeating your name, despite you saying you didn't like—and, presumably, being annoying in a persistent fashion, I would say it was a clear case of harassment based on the English definition of the word.
Having said that, however, the HR department at your company might have a different definition of the word they use as part of their own policies.
If so, a more accurate response could have been:
"We acknowledge that it was harassment in the commonly used sense of the word, but it's unfortunately not something we can act on. Per our policies, actionable harassment is defined as . . ."
answered Jan 27 at 21:42
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
19.1k32245
+1 agree with you
– lbf
Jan 27 at 23:17
Thank you, I appreciate all responses. This give me very good insight into the matter.
– Donna Samec-Ollis Davenport
Jan 28 at 19:52
add a comment |
I believe that harassment is the correct word.
Here are two of the senses of the Merriam-Webster definition of harass:
1 b (1) : to annoy persistently
// was harassing his younger brother
1 b (2) : to create an unpleasant or hostile situation for
especially by uninvited and unwelcome verbal or physical conduct
// was being harassed by her classmates
// claims that the police were unfairly harassing him
From the description of a colleague standing behind you and constantly repeating your name, despite you saying you didn't like—and, presumably, being annoying in a persistent fashion, I would say it was a clear case of harassment based on the English definition of the word.
Having said that, however, the HR department at your company might have a different definition of the word they use as part of their own policies.
If so, a more accurate response could have been:
"We acknowledge that it was harassment in the commonly used sense of the word, but it's unfortunately not something we can act on. Per our policies, actionable harassment is defined as . . ."
answered Jan 27 at 21:42
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
19.1k32245
+1 agree with you
– lbf
Jan 27 at 23:17
Thank you, I appreciate all responses. This give me very good insight into the matter.
– Donna Samec-Ollis Davenport
Jan 28 at 19:52
add a comment |
I believe that harassment is the correct word.
Here are two of the senses of the Merriam-Webster definition of harass:
1 b (1) : to annoy persistently
// was harassing his younger brother
1 b (2) : to create an unpleasant or hostile situation for
especially by uninvited and unwelcome verbal or physical conduct
// was being harassed by her classmates
// claims that the police were unfairly harassing him
From the description of a colleague standing behind you and constantly repeating your name, despite you saying you didn't like—and, presumably, being annoying in a persistent fashion, I would say it was a clear case of harassment based on the English definition of the word.
Having said that, however, the HR department at your company might have a different definition of the word they use as part of their own policies.
If so, a more accurate response could have been:
"We acknowledge that it was harassment in the commonly used sense of the word, but it's unfortunately not something we can act on. Per our policies, actionable harassment is defined as . . ."
answered Jan 27 at 21:42
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
19.1k32245
I believe that harassment is the correct word.
Here are two of the senses of the Merriam-Webster definition of harass:
1 b (1) : to annoy persistently
// was harassing his younger brother
1 b (2) : to create an unpleasant or hostile situation for
especially by uninvited and unwelcome verbal or physical conduct
// was being harassed by her classmates
// claims that the police were unfairly harassing him
From the description of a colleague standing behind you and constantly repeating your name, despite you saying you didn't like—and, presumably, being annoying in a persistent fashion, I would say it was a clear case of harassment based on the English definition of the word.
Having said that, however, the HR department at your company might have a different definition of the word they use as part of their own policies.
If so, a more accurate response could have been:
"We acknowledge that it was harassment in the commonly used sense of the word, but it's unfortunately not something we can act on. Per our policies, actionable harassment is defined as . . ."
answered Jan 27 at 21:42
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
19.1k32245
answered Jan 27 at 21:42
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
19.1k32245
answered Jan 27 at 21:42
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
19.1k32245
answered Jan 27 at 21:42
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
19.1k32245
19.1k32245
+1 agree with you
– lbf
Jan 27 at 23:17
Thank you, I appreciate all responses. This give me very good insight into the matter.
– Donna Samec-Ollis Davenport
Jan 28 at 19:52
add a comment |
+1 agree with you
– lbf
Jan 27 at 23:17
Thank you, I appreciate all responses. This give me very good insight into the matter.
– Donna Samec-Ollis Davenport
Jan 28 at 19:52
+1 agree with you
– lbf
Jan 27 at 23:17
+1 agree with you
– lbf
Jan 27 at 23:17
Thank you, I appreciate all responses. This give me very good insight into the matter.
– Donna Samec-Ollis Davenport
Jan 28 at 19:52
Thank you, I appreciate all responses. This give me very good insight into the matter.
– Donna Samec-Ollis Davenport
Jan 28 at 19:52
add a comment |
I would call the behavior of your colleagues DISTURBANCE.
According to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disturbance:
disturbance
: the act of disturbing
: the state of being disturbed
// apologized for creating a disturbance
answered Jan 27 at 21:12
user307254user307254
3,5552516
add a comment |
I would call the behavior of your colleagues DISTURBANCE.
According to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disturbance:
disturbance
: the act of disturbing
: the state of being disturbed
// apologized for creating a disturbance
answered Jan 27 at 21:12
user307254user307254
3,5552516
add a comment |
I would call the behavior of your colleagues DISTURBANCE.
According to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disturbance:
disturbance
: the act of disturbing
: the state of being disturbed
// apologized for creating a disturbance
answered Jan 27 at 21:12
user307254user307254
3,5552516
I would call the behavior of your colleagues DISTURBANCE.
According to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disturbance:
disturbance
: the act of disturbing
: the state of being disturbed
// apologized for creating a disturbance
answered Jan 27 at 21:12
user307254user307254
3,5552516
answered Jan 27 at 21:12
user307254user307254
3,5552516
answered Jan 27 at 21:12
user307254user307254
3,5552516
answered Jan 27 at 21:12
user307254user307254
3,5552516
3,5552516
add a comment |
add a comment |
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Cascabel is right. It may be that ‘harassment’ is covered by the company’s code of conduct, in which case you need to study it and decide if HR is taking a fair view of the situation. At all events the issue you raise sounds more to me like a legal or quasi-legal one than a matter of English language usage.
– Tuffy
Jan 27 at 22:24