In our litigation-happy society, citizens are quick to turn a cry of "foul!" into a demand for financial restitution. But when does justice turn into whining?
Hooray for the American justice system. The ability to sue an employer for discrimination or harassment keeps employers in check. Women, minorities, and the disabled have been able to take their rightful place at work. Wages are reasonable, injuries on the job are compensated, and they can’t choose to fire you for no reason.
But now a few states are trying to pass legislation where you can sue your boss for being a jerk. Washington, New Jersey, New York, and Vermont are trying to pass laws allowing employees to sue for up to $25,000 for “an abusive environment.” This legislation will act as a watchdog, letting bosses know that they can’t get away with treating their employees like dog food.
But wait a second. Let’s not get carried away.
No one is disputing that it’s difficult to work for an unreasonable jerk. It’s not always possible to quit or find another job. However, it’s a slippery slope, mainly because the proposed legislation doesn’t define an abusive environment. The already-clogged legal system could get wrapped up with overly sensitive employees suing because their boss doesn’t remember their birthday. Plus, the most serious offenses are covered by current laws, including the blanket term harassment of which the word abuse is a synonym.
So it begs the question: do employees need another excuse to sue? Our culture is so wrapped up in lawsuits that the moment someone feels he’s been treated unfairly, he goes to the law. Not only do we want a court-appointed employee to gratify us by validating that we were wronged, but we’d also like to profit from every slight. Some do it because they smell money. Others feel truly entitled to monetary reward.
But is misery really an excuse for compensation? Life isn’t fair, which we routinely tell our children, yet somehow manage to forget by the time we’re adults and able to turn to the judicial system. Suing because someone has been unkind to you smacks of a child whining “It’s not fair!”
No. It’s not fair. Even if your employer is absolutely in the wrong, there is something to be said for letting it go. Getting them to stop the abuse is one thing, but profiting from the behavior is going a step too far. So before you cry “foul!” to Mother Law, first assess whether you truly deserve compensation, or if you’re suffering from a simple case of sour grapes.
