If another employee has assaulted you in any way, you need to take the issue seriously. Workplace violence is something that you, your employer, and legal professionals need to work through in order to help you feel safe while you are at work. Learn what signifies assault at work, and what you need to do about it.

Assault at work

Assault is a physical attack on another person. Assault is a slap, shove, punch in the face, or violent threat placed upon you. While you are at work, you can be assaulted by another employee, your boss, or even customers or clients that come into your establishment. If you've been assaulted, you need to know what you should do immediately so you can protect yourself against further attacks.

Alert your employer

Any assault needs to be reported to your employer, so you can record instances in which you've been attacked. Your employer is responsible for keeping you safe, especially if you work in secluded areas alone (as a security guard or front desk personnel, for example), or if you work with a single other employee. Once your employee has been made aware that you have been attacked while on the job, it is their obligation to take measures to keep you safe. They can do this by:

• increasing security cameras on the property
• removing the employee who attacked you
• transferring you to a safer department
• providing workman's compensation for any injuries

If your employer fails to take measures to keep you safe or you continue to get assaulted while working, you need to take legal action to protect yourself at work.

When to get a lawyer

You should get a personal injury lawyer if you've been assaulted at work and it resulted in an injury, or if your employer has failed to keep you safe. Even if your employer is giving you time off, has fired the person who has attacked you, and you are getting financial restitution for your injury, you should still seek legal counsel. Your employer may be held at fault for the attack for not anticipating your safety needs. Or, the other employee that harmed you may need to be sued for the injuries and emotional distress that you've received due to their attack. A personal injury lawyer can help you explore all your rights so you can feel safe while in the workplace.

When you get attacked at work, you should always treat the situation seriously. Know exactly what you should do to best protect yourself in the event of workplace violence, so you can get the security you need.