There is general lack of awareness in the workplace which ofter prevents people from realizing that his/her own boss or co-worker is a bully.  Unfortunately, often times people will not realize what has been happening until it becomes too late.  Years of humiliation and demeaning treatment could end up in termination.

It is essential to know how best to deal with the situation and what your rights are.  Also important is not to be afraid of complaining to the company or even to take legal action, if necessary.  A person needs to stand up for him/herself, and must do it immediately.  The very first thing that one can do is to meet with an employment lawyer who can counsel you through your options and what steps you may wish to take to protect your legal rights.

Daniel Lublin, Toronto Employment Lawyer, explained in his latest article I’ve been bullied, and now I’ve been fired. What do I do? published in the Globe and Mail, what options one might have in a case where either resigns or waits to be fired.

One of the things that Daniel explained is that in Canada dismissed employees are entitled to severance, whereas employees who claim they had no choice but to resign have to prove the workplace was intolerable before they will see a dime.  This is usually an uphill battle, and at the end of it, the damages are the same as if they had been fired in the first place.  Often it is not worth the fight.

Should one wait and see what happens and how far the bullying will go?  And if you get fired, will you be entitled to any damages?  Though, the best option and recommendations for each case are best considered through discussions with an expert in the employment law, some of Daniel’s general advice can be read in his article.