Ep 87. Assault in the Workplace?!

The show Hot Bench is a court show that focuses on civil cases and allows three judges to hear arguments and render a verdict based on the evidence. The first season of Hot Bench has 180 episodes, and episode 87 is titled Assault in the Workplace?!.

In this episode, the judges hear a case in which a woman claims she was physically assaulted by a co-worker at her job. The plaintiff, Michelle, alleges that her co-worker, Bob, physically pushed her against a wall and punched her in the face. Michelle claims that Bob had been harassing her for weeks prior to the assault because she rejected his romantic advances. Michelle reported the assault to their supervisor and went to the hospital to receive medical attention for her injuries.

Bob denies assaulting Michelle and claims that she made up the story because she wanted to get him fired. Bob also accuses Michelle of being a difficult employee who frequently caused problems at the workplace. The case becomes more complicated when the judges learn that there are no witnesses to the alleged assault, and Bob has no history of violence.

The judges question Michelle and Bob about their work history and their interactions with each other leading up to the alleged assault. They also hear testimony from co-workers who worked in the same department as Michelle and Bob. The judges focus on the credibility of the witnesses and the consistency of their stories.

During their deliberation, the judges struggle with the lack of evidence and the conflicting testimony. They also consider the workplace policies and procedures that should have been in place to prevent workplace violence and harassment. Ultimately, they render a verdict based on the preponderance of the evidence presented in court.

Assault in the Workplace?! highlights the challenges of proving workplace assault and harassment. The judges are tasked with determining the truth of a he-said-she-said situation, which is complicated by the absence of witnesses. The episode shows how workplace policies and procedures can play a role in preventing workplace violence and how important it is for employees to report any incidents of harassment or violence to their supervisors.