I take it back in regards to reaching out to HR.
We have to understand who HR is/are.
They are in the business to protect the company's name cuz they are also an employee of the company. They can help to get a person fired but they are more concern with working out and come to some sort of an agreement with you so that you do not have to file a lawsuit against your employer, which is hr and them.
So it is like a double edge sword, double wammy, dayam if I do and dayam if I don't kind of a thingy. Do we trust our HR team? ARe they going to do enough to help you or are they going to take your allegation and talk to your chain of command while they sipping on wine and laughing things over?
I wouldn't trust HR with certain issues. Even with discrimination cases, are they helping or are they trying to sweep dirt under the rug? We can sue hr and them for not doing enough?
Once the enemy knows your cards, it is hard to work in such an environment as it will become hostile.... retaliation in the work ethic ways. I've seen it and it becomes unbearable that people just quit on their own terms. If you quit, you can't file for wrongful termination right? They got to fire your azz to get your perks like unemployment check and what not.