I was assaulted at work. My boss did nothing. (WA) (employee, employer)

[Lemonad3]

I was recently threatened bodily harm by a customer at my retail job. The following day at work, a woman who bore a striking resemblance to the woman from the prior day, cornered me with her shopping cart. She shoved me, and then elbowed me twice in the ribs. Both incidents were reported to management. Both times management did nothing. The second time they told me to go back to work. I no longer feel safe at work or in the parking lot. Do I have any legal rights?

[musicfamly5]

You can call the police yourself next time you get physically assaulted. That is a crime and your employer can not stop you from addressing that. You can also talk to the police about what you can do with this particular customer in the future, possibly by declaring she is unwanted and trespassing if she returns or if she insults you again looking into a restraining order.

Your employer has a duty to report and address any injuries you suffered on the job, so if you got physically hurt you need to have your employer log it. That's an requirement by OSHA and unless your employer has less than 10 employees they have to record every injury and accident onsite. https://www.osha.gov/as/opa/worker/e...nsibility.html

My recommendation is if you see this individual again DON'T GO NEAR HER. If she corners you again tell her very loudly to please leave you alone. Then just walk away to your employee break room or find a manager to let them address the problem. If she touched you aggressively again call the cops and tell them you've been continuously assaulted at work and make a report at work.

I'm sorry this happened to you...unfortunately this is something I've had to deal with as a retail worker in Seattle. The important thing to remember is if you're prepared to stand up for yourself you'll be as safe as you ever were. If you really want your employer to do something about this customer tell them that you feel unsafe and to prevent additional injury (which they would have to pay for if it got extreme) you would like assistance in addressing problem customers. They may oblige, say they understand but can't do much beyond report, or they may fire you for making problems with customers.

[KoNgFooCj]

Why didn't you contact law enforcement?

[oldgardener]

Assault is against the law. Contact the police yourself.

[WhatTheFox]

Do you have legal rights? Of course you do.

Document everything including your talk with your lame ass managers. Perhaps there were cameras at work that caught this incident? Most definitely call the cops this happens next time. Your lame ass manager will throw a fit over you calling cops. Report that also to the cops. Oh! and get a restraining order against that lunatic.

[bergun]

The sad thing is that I bet the cops will not show up and if they do, it will be at least 15-20 mins after the incident. Different if you're seriously injured... I'm sure the cops will be there within 5-8 mins... Which is a long time if you're on the wrong end of an Mod cut. kicking.

Your boss sounds like a punk for not taking this matter more seriously and protecting his/her work force. But, most people in Seattle are pretty passive by nature anyway, which most of the Mod cut./crazies know and this allows them to act a fool in public since they do not fear you or the police anymore.

Mod cut. and crazies are like dogs... Look them in their eyes, square up to defend yourself and show no fear. If you can do that, you will have a better chance of them walking away once they see that you're not going to allow yourself to be a victim.

Please don't buy into that passive BS line where it's OK to be a victim and pray for mercy from your attacker.

I wouldn't bring any weapons into the workplace since that can get you fired, but the next time you're attacked, you have every right under the law, even in Seattle, to defend yourself with whatever you can get your hands on... All is fair in love and war. Plus you work in retail, so you're surrounded by plenty of makeshift weapons of all types. Just remember that the force you use to defend yourself has to be within reason to the level of force that was used against you. And no, I'm not a lawyer or pretending to be one. Just passing on how "I" deal with all the Mod cut. and crazies in Seattle.

Good luck in this situation.

Out of curiosity, are you pro law enforcement or do you think that cops are the real or a part of the problem here in Seattle? Just asking for a better understanding of your situation and your options in this matter.

[Returning2USA]

It seems like the managers don't care.

It's a paying customer.

Bad values, corporate values.

Good advice on the folding baton.

I'll order one. Seriously.

I always carry pepper spray, and I'm male.

[K12144]

I don't imagine fighting customers-- even in self-defense-- keeps one a job for very long. Neither, probably, does calling the cops on customers. And then you have no job, and good luck getting another one with that on your record. I'd be nervous too, if I were OP.

[tickyul]

Cops will come and yawn, they do not care...........ditto for your employer.

Best to employ your own plan that involves avoidance, and if totally necessary, self-defense.

[DubbleT]

Originally Posted by Lemonad3

I was recently threatened bodily harm by a customer at my retail job. The following day at work, a woman who bore a striking resemblance to the woman from the prior day, cornered me with her shopping cart. She shoved me, and then elbowed me twice in the ribs. Both incidents were reported to management. Both times management did nothing. The second time they told me to go back to work. I no longer feel safe at work or in the parking lot. Do I have any legal rights?

Other than filing an incident report and perhaps being able to ban the customer (if they can ID her) what would you expect them to do? Call the cops for you when you can do that yourself? Tell you it's ok to bring a weapon to work? Hire a body guard for you? Seriously, there isn't a lot they can do after the fact unless this becomes a repeat offense.

On a practical level you can ask to have a co-worker or mgr to escort you to your car for a few days, or ask to have your schedule changed to a different shift to reduce the possibility of encountering the woman, or ask to be given a task that keeps you off the sales floor for several days, if that's possible.

https://www.legalmatch.com/law-libra...-employee.html