One anonymous employee said that their employer refused their request to attend a funeral, while another allegedly instructed an employee to cut their hair.
While creating friendships with work colleagues and your boss is a key part of any role, some employers have been known to blur the lines between what’s deemed professional and what isn’t.
This comes after anonymous app Whisper has shared various accounts from workers across the world detailing some of the shocking things their employers have said.
For example, one anonymous app user explained that they were denied time off to attend the funeral of their aunt and uncle who had passed away within days of one another, reported the Daily Mail.
The user explained: “My boss said that ‘people die and that I need to be strong or lose my job’.”
Another claimed that their boss told them that their relationship wouldn’t last when they worked for them.
One employer who was concerned for their employee’s level of professionalism allegedly asked them when they were going to cut their hair, saying: “Your hair is getting really long. Aren’t you worried about your level of professionalism?”
Similarly, another boss also seemed to be concerned about the appearance of a staff member, as a user wrote: “My boss told me I need to have a breast reduction.”
After one employee chose to leave her role, her superior informed her that it would be “hard” to find a new job “that will hire a pregnant girl”. However, the author of the anonymous post implied that she wasn’t pregnant and was in fact 22-years-old.
Discrimination in the workplace
Many of these claims could be considered cases of discrimination in the workplace.
According to Acas, there are various types of treatment that are unfair in the workplace, including being discriminated against.
However, employers have a duty of care to protect employees regards discrimination. Acas has also shared some steps that organisations can take to support staff including:
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