Getting Even: You Keep Using That Word, “Retaliation.” Does It Mean What You Think It Means?

In an article published on August 31, 2023 in Best Lawyers, Matt Gomes discusses workplace retaliation and provides his insight into what that really means for employees and employers.

“I often think about this when dealing with workplace retaliation claims, which frequently involve perception attempting to take precedence over reality. Whenever someone claims to have experienced retaliation, I’m reminded of the famous line of Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin) in The Princess Bride: ‘You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means,’” said Gomes. “What I mean is that many people use ‘retaliation’ to describe a situation in which someone—usually a supervisor or manager—tells them something they don’t want to hear. Because courts analyze employment retaliation claims a bit differently than employment discrimination claims, I’ve found it’s important for employers to be aware of the applicable legal standards to try to minimize, if not eliminate, the possibility of such claims.”

To read the full article, click here.