Fighting Workplace Harassment
Harassment, bullying, and toxic supervision have no place in the Postal Service or any APWU workplace
Harassment, bullying, and toxic supervision have no place in the Postal Service or any APWU workplace. Reporting instances of these behaviors is not only legally protected activity, it’s our obligation. When management ignores its own policies, APWU members stand together to enforce them.
What Does Workplace Harassment Look Like?
- Intimidation, humiliation, or belittling remarks
- Unwanted physical contact or threats
- Retaliation after you speak up
Important: harassment does not need to be illegal to be wrong!
How Can We Stop Harassment
- Don’t tolerate it: Tell the harasser to stop immediately.
- Report it: Contact your APWU steward, and your supervisor or next level of management if your harasser is your supervisor.
- Pursue it: File PS 1767 (Report of Hazard, Unsafe Condition or Practice) and communicate with your steward or regional safety representative.
Understanding Key Resources for Fighting Harassment
| Resource | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| USPS Policy on Workplace Harassment | Lays out management’s legal duties and employee rights. |
| USPS Employee & Labor Relations Manual (Chapter 6 sections 664-673, & Chapter 8 sections 810, 820, 860) | Defines standards for conduct and safety. Can and should be utilized in grievances for harassment or abusive supervisors. |
| Manager’s Guide to Understanding, Investigating, and Preventing Harassment 12-16 (Pub. 552) | Spells out management’s obligations to keep a safe work environment and disciplinary consequences for managers. |
| Employee’s Guide to Understanding, Preventing, and Reporting Harassment 11-2018 (Pub. 553) | What employees can and should do if harassed in the workplace and our protections. |
| Supervisor’s Guide to Safety (El-801) | Details supervisor obligations when PS 1767 is filed. |
| Guidelines for Area/Local Joint Labor-Management Transmittal Letter Safety and Health Committees | How Labor-Management Committees address PS 1767s. |
| Threat Assessment Team Guide (Pub. 108) | Management guide on what must be done with threats that are reported in regards to OSHA protections. |
