Determining proper word for a situation












2















I work at a call center. I said something somebody I work didn't like. I was working. They came behind me while working and just kept calling my name and would not leave me alone. I reported this to HR as harassment. HR told me this was not harassment. So, what is the proper word to describe a situation like this?










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  • Cascabel is right. It may be that ‘harassment’ is covered by the company’s code of conduct, in which case you need to study it and decide if HR is taking a fair view of the situation. At all events the issue you raise sounds more to me like a legal or quasi-legal one than a matter of English language usage.

    – Tuffy
    4 hours ago











  • BPD--borderline personality disorder. That is my official former-CSR professional diagnosis. Good luck dealing with that somebody. (P.S. They really like it when you compliment their hair, clothing, shoes...or anything.)

    – KannE
    4 hours ago


















2















I work at a call center. I said something somebody I work didn't like. I was working. They came behind me while working and just kept calling my name and would not leave me alone. I reported this to HR as harassment. HR told me this was not harassment. So, what is the proper word to describe a situation like this?










share|improve this question







New contributor




Donna Samec-Ollis Davenport is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.





















  • Cascabel is right. It may be that ‘harassment’ is covered by the company’s code of conduct, in which case you need to study it and decide if HR is taking a fair view of the situation. At all events the issue you raise sounds more to me like a legal or quasi-legal one than a matter of English language usage.

    – Tuffy
    4 hours ago











  • BPD--borderline personality disorder. That is my official former-CSR professional diagnosis. Good luck dealing with that somebody. (P.S. They really like it when you compliment their hair, clothing, shoes...or anything.)

    – KannE
    4 hours ago
















2












2








2








I work at a call center. I said something somebody I work didn't like. I was working. They came behind me while working and just kept calling my name and would not leave me alone. I reported this to HR as harassment. HR told me this was not harassment. So, what is the proper word to describe a situation like this?










share|improve this question







New contributor




Donna Samec-Ollis Davenport is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.












I work at a call center. I said something somebody I work didn't like. I was working. They came behind me while working and just kept calling my name and would not leave me alone. I reported this to HR as harassment. HR told me this was not harassment. So, what is the proper word to describe a situation like this?







word-usage






share|improve this question







New contributor




Donna Samec-Ollis Davenport is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.











share|improve this question







New contributor




Donna Samec-Ollis Davenport is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.









share|improve this question




share|improve this question






New contributor




Donna Samec-Ollis Davenport is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.









asked 6 hours ago









Donna Samec-Ollis DavenportDonna Samec-Ollis Davenport

111




111




New contributor




Donna Samec-Ollis Davenport is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.





New contributor





Donna Samec-Ollis Davenport is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.






Donna Samec-Ollis Davenport is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.













  • Cascabel is right. It may be that ‘harassment’ is covered by the company’s code of conduct, in which case you need to study it and decide if HR is taking a fair view of the situation. At all events the issue you raise sounds more to me like a legal or quasi-legal one than a matter of English language usage.

    – Tuffy
    4 hours ago











  • BPD--borderline personality disorder. That is my official former-CSR professional diagnosis. Good luck dealing with that somebody. (P.S. They really like it when you compliment their hair, clothing, shoes...or anything.)

    – KannE
    4 hours ago





















  • Cascabel is right. It may be that ‘harassment’ is covered by the company’s code of conduct, in which case you need to study it and decide if HR is taking a fair view of the situation. At all events the issue you raise sounds more to me like a legal or quasi-legal one than a matter of English language usage.

    – Tuffy
    4 hours ago











  • BPD--borderline personality disorder. That is my official former-CSR professional diagnosis. Good luck dealing with that somebody. (P.S. They really like it when you compliment their hair, clothing, shoes...or anything.)

    – KannE
    4 hours ago



















Cascabel is right. It may be that ‘harassment’ is covered by the company’s code of conduct, in which case you need to study it and decide if HR is taking a fair view of the situation. At all events the issue you raise sounds more to me like a legal or quasi-legal one than a matter of English language usage.

– Tuffy
4 hours ago





Cascabel is right. It may be that ‘harassment’ is covered by the company’s code of conduct, in which case you need to study it and decide if HR is taking a fair view of the situation. At all events the issue you raise sounds more to me like a legal or quasi-legal one than a matter of English language usage.

– Tuffy
4 hours ago













BPD--borderline personality disorder. That is my official former-CSR professional diagnosis. Good luck dealing with that somebody. (P.S. They really like it when you compliment their hair, clothing, shoes...or anything.)

– KannE
4 hours ago







BPD--borderline personality disorder. That is my official former-CSR professional diagnosis. Good luck dealing with that somebody. (P.S. They really like it when you compliment their hair, clothing, shoes...or anything.)

– KannE
4 hours ago












2 Answers
2






active

oldest

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2














I would call the behavior of your colleagues DISTURBANCE.



According to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disturbance:



disturbance



: the act of disturbing



: the state of being disturbed



// apologized for creating a disturbance






share|improve this answer































    1














    I believe that harassment is the correct word.



    Here are two of the senses of the Merriam-Webster definition of harass:




    1 b (1) : to annoy persistently

    // was harassing his younger brother
    1 b (2) : to create an unpleasant or hostile situation for

    especially by uninvited and unwelcome verbal or physical conduct

    // was being harassed by her classmates

    // claims that the police were unfairly harassing him




    From the description of a colleague standing behind you and constantly repeating your name, despite you saying you didn't like—and, presumably, being annoying in a persistent fashion, I would say it was a clear case of harassment based on the English definition of the word.





    Having said that, however, the HR department at your company might have a different definition of the word they use as part of their own policies.



    If so, a more accurate response could have been:




    "We acknowledge that it was harassment in the commonly used sense of the word, but it's unfortunately not something we can act on. Per our policies, actionable harassment is defined as  . . ."







    share|improve this answer
























    • +1 agree with you

      – lbf
      3 hours ago











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    2 Answers
    2






    active

    oldest

    votes








    2 Answers
    2






    active

    oldest

    votes









    active

    oldest

    votes






    active

    oldest

    votes









    2














    I would call the behavior of your colleagues DISTURBANCE.



    According to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary
    https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disturbance:



    disturbance



    : the act of disturbing



    : the state of being disturbed



    // apologized for creating a disturbance






    share|improve this answer




























      2














      I would call the behavior of your colleagues DISTURBANCE.



      According to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary
      https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disturbance:



      disturbance



      : the act of disturbing



      : the state of being disturbed



      // apologized for creating a disturbance






      share|improve this answer


























        2












        2








        2







        I would call the behavior of your colleagues DISTURBANCE.



        According to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary
        https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disturbance:



        disturbance



        : the act of disturbing



        : the state of being disturbed



        // apologized for creating a disturbance






        share|improve this answer













        I would call the behavior of your colleagues DISTURBANCE.



        According to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary
        https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disturbance:



        disturbance



        : the act of disturbing



        : the state of being disturbed



        // apologized for creating a disturbance







        share|improve this answer












        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer










        answered 6 hours ago









        user307254user307254

        4,787516




        4,787516

























            1














            I believe that harassment is the correct word.



            Here are two of the senses of the Merriam-Webster definition of harass:




            1 b (1) : to annoy persistently

            // was harassing his younger brother
            1 b (2) : to create an unpleasant or hostile situation for

            especially by uninvited and unwelcome verbal or physical conduct

            // was being harassed by her classmates

            // claims that the police were unfairly harassing him




            From the description of a colleague standing behind you and constantly repeating your name, despite you saying you didn't like—and, presumably, being annoying in a persistent fashion, I would say it was a clear case of harassment based on the English definition of the word.





            Having said that, however, the HR department at your company might have a different definition of the word they use as part of their own policies.



            If so, a more accurate response could have been:




            "We acknowledge that it was harassment in the commonly used sense of the word, but it's unfortunately not something we can act on. Per our policies, actionable harassment is defined as  . . ."







            share|improve this answer
























            • +1 agree with you

              – lbf
              3 hours ago
















            1














            I believe that harassment is the correct word.



            Here are two of the senses of the Merriam-Webster definition of harass:




            1 b (1) : to annoy persistently

            // was harassing his younger brother
            1 b (2) : to create an unpleasant or hostile situation for

            especially by uninvited and unwelcome verbal or physical conduct

            // was being harassed by her classmates

            // claims that the police were unfairly harassing him




            From the description of a colleague standing behind you and constantly repeating your name, despite you saying you didn't like—and, presumably, being annoying in a persistent fashion, I would say it was a clear case of harassment based on the English definition of the word.





            Having said that, however, the HR department at your company might have a different definition of the word they use as part of their own policies.



            If so, a more accurate response could have been:




            "We acknowledge that it was harassment in the commonly used sense of the word, but it's unfortunately not something we can act on. Per our policies, actionable harassment is defined as  . . ."







            share|improve this answer
























            • +1 agree with you

              – lbf
              3 hours ago














            1












            1








            1







            I believe that harassment is the correct word.



            Here are two of the senses of the Merriam-Webster definition of harass:




            1 b (1) : to annoy persistently

            // was harassing his younger brother
            1 b (2) : to create an unpleasant or hostile situation for

            especially by uninvited and unwelcome verbal or physical conduct

            // was being harassed by her classmates

            // claims that the police were unfairly harassing him




            From the description of a colleague standing behind you and constantly repeating your name, despite you saying you didn't like—and, presumably, being annoying in a persistent fashion, I would say it was a clear case of harassment based on the English definition of the word.





            Having said that, however, the HR department at your company might have a different definition of the word they use as part of their own policies.



            If so, a more accurate response could have been:




            "We acknowledge that it was harassment in the commonly used sense of the word, but it's unfortunately not something we can act on. Per our policies, actionable harassment is defined as  . . ."







            share|improve this answer













            I believe that harassment is the correct word.



            Here are two of the senses of the Merriam-Webster definition of harass:




            1 b (1) : to annoy persistently

            // was harassing his younger brother
            1 b (2) : to create an unpleasant or hostile situation for

            especially by uninvited and unwelcome verbal or physical conduct

            // was being harassed by her classmates

            // claims that the police were unfairly harassing him




            From the description of a colleague standing behind you and constantly repeating your name, despite you saying you didn't like—and, presumably, being annoying in a persistent fashion, I would say it was a clear case of harassment based on the English definition of the word.





            Having said that, however, the HR department at your company might have a different definition of the word they use as part of their own policies.



            If so, a more accurate response could have been:




            "We acknowledge that it was harassment in the commonly used sense of the word, but it's unfortunately not something we can act on. Per our policies, actionable harassment is defined as  . . ."








            share|improve this answer












            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer










            answered 5 hours ago









            Jason BassfordJason Bassford

            16.6k31942




            16.6k31942













            • +1 agree with you

              – lbf
              3 hours ago



















            • +1 agree with you

              – lbf
              3 hours ago

















            +1 agree with you

            – lbf
            3 hours ago





            +1 agree with you

            – lbf
            3 hours ago










            Donna Samec-Ollis Davenport is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.










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