"Addressing Domestic Violence in the Workplace: An EAP/Employer Partnership" Webinar - Audio/Video Recording Now Available

The audio and video recording of the S2 Webinar: Addressing Domestic Violence in the Workplace: An EAP/Employer Partnership is available at http://www.caepv.org/about/program_detail.php?refID=51.

Downloadable materials from the webinar are available as well.

A recent survey of CEOs found that most believe domestic violence to be a serious issue, yet 71% did not believe it is a problem in their company. The reality is that approximately 21% of full-time working adults report being a victim of domestic violence. (2005 National Survey, CAEPV)

This webinar examined: current research findings discussing the experience of abused women who sought help with EAPs, examples of EAP collaboration with Human Resources, Employee Relations and Corporate Security to address specific incidents of domestic violence, and a detailed case study of one employer's response to domestic violence.

Presenters were:

• Bob McCullough, Manager Critical Incidents/Workplace Supports, Magellan Health Services

• Keshia Pollack, Department of Public Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

• John Cantrell, Assistant Director, Corporate Security and Investigations, CIGNA Corporation

• Kerrie Loyde, Senior Manager, Global Employee Relations, Gap Inc.

The S2 - Safer, Smarter Workplace project is presented by the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence.

Free Webinar "Addressing Domestic Violence in the Workplace: An EAP/Employer Partnership" (November 12, 2009)

DUE TO OVERWHELMING INTEREST, REGISTRATION FOR THIS WEBINAR IS NOW CLOSED. AN AUDIO/VIDEO RECORDING OF THE WEBINAR WILL BE AVAILABLE SHORTLY AFTER IT IS COMPLETED.

Addressing Domestic Violence in the Workplace: An EAP/Employer Partnership is an educational opportunity provided through the ongoing work of the national S2 - Safer, Smarter Workplace project.

WHEN:

Thursday, November 12, 2009
2:00 - 3:30 p.m. ET
1:00 - 2:30 p.m. CT
11:00 - 12:30 p.m. PT

WHY:

A recent survey of CEOs found that most believe domestic violence to be a serious issue, yet 71% did not believe it is a problem in their company. The reality is that approximately 21% of full-time working adults report being a victim of domestic violence.

This webinar will examine: current research findings discussing the experience of abused women who sought help with EAPs, examples of EAP collaboration with Human Resources, Employee Relations and Corporate Security to address specific incidents of domestic violence, and a detailed case study of one employer's response to domestic violence.

PRESENTERS:

• Bob McCullough, Manager Critical Incidents/Workplace Supports, Magellan Health Services
• Keshia Pollack, Department of Public Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
• John Cantrell, Assistant Director, Corporate Security and Investigations, CIGNA Corporation
• Kerrie Loyde, Senior Manager, Global Employee Relations, Gap Inc.

RSVP:

THE WEBINAR IS FREE, BUT REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.

The deadline for registration is Tuesday, November 10, 2009. However, registrations will be taken on a first-come, first-serve basis, so register early!

Click here to register for the webinar.


The S2 - Safer, Smarter Workplace conference was presented by the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence. This conference was made possible by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, with additional support provided by The Allstate Foundation, the Blue Shield of California Foundation, CALCASA, Health Care Service Corporation, and Texas Health Resources.


The Technology Sponsor for the conference was the Verizon Foundation.


The conference planning workgroup includes representatives from the following organizations: Chestnut Global Partners; CIGNA; Gap Inc.; Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; Macy's West; Magellan Health Services; OptumHealth Behavioral Solutions.

S2 Webinar: "Domestic Violence and the Workplace - A Multi-Disciplinary Approach from Liz Claiborne Inc." Audio/Video Recording Now Available!

On August 25 we held the S2 Webinar: Domestic Violence and the Workplace – A Multi-Disciplinary Response from Liz Claiborne. It was a wonderful session thanks to the representatives of the Domestic Violence Response Team (DVRT) of Liz Claiborne and we are so thankful to them for time and expertise.

An audio/visual recording of the webinar is now available for download at http://www.caepv.org/about/program_detail.php?refID=48. All materials are also available for download there.

Please also review previous webinars and all materials from our S2 project at http://www.caepv.org/action/S2.php.

If you do check it out, let me know what you think!

Free Webinar on Domestic Violence and the Workplace Featuring Liz Claiborne Domestic Violence Response Team (August 25, 2009)

Domestic Violence and the Workplace - A Multi-Disciplinary Approach from Liz Claiborne - is an educational opportunity provided through the ongoing work of the national S2 - Safer, Smarter Workplace Project.

WHEN:
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
2:00 - 3:30 p.m. ET
1:00 - 2:30 p.m. CT
11:00 -12:30 p.m. PT

WHY:
Enlightened employers and EAPs recognize the importance of addressing domestic violence in the workplace as part of their overall response to workplace and employee safety.

Liz Claiborne Inc. (LCI) responds to this issue through the use of a Domestic Violence Response Team (DVRT) - a multi-disciplinary team that specializes in dealing with domestic violence and the workplace. Selected team members from LCI will offer unique perspectives and expertise regarding their program, lessons learned, and lessons they are still learning.

PRESENTERS WILL INCLUDE:
• Lori Keurian, Deputy General Counsel, Liz Claiborne Inc.
• Jane Kropiewnicki, Manager, Workplace Solutions, Liz Claiborne Inc.
• Hank Linden, Vice President, Account Management, Longview Associates
• Jane Randel, Vice President Corporate Communications, Liz Claiborne Inc.
• Ken Rayca, Director of Loss Prevention, Liz Claiborne Inc.

RSVP:
THE WEBINAR IS FREE, BUT REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.
The deadline for registration is Friday, August 21, 2009. (Registrations will only be taken until the webinar is full - so register early!)

Click here to register for the webinar.

The S2 - Safer, Smarter Workplace conference was presented by the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence. This conference was made possible by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, with additional support provided by The Allstate Foundation, the Blue Shield of California Foundation, CALCASA, Health Care Service Corporation, and Texas Health Resources. The Technology Sponsor for the conference was the Verizon Foundation.

The conference planning workgroup includes representatives from the following organizations: Chestnut Global Partners; CIGNA; Gap Inc.; Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; Macy's West; Magellan Health Services; OptumHealth Behavioral Solutions.

Dealing with Batterers in the Workplace - Webinar Follow Up

On Tuesday, May 12, we had a "all seats taken" for our webinar on "Dealing with Batterers in the Workplace." This is one in our series of S2: Safer, Smarter Workplace webinars.

Not only was the webinar full, but people were sharing "virtual seats" with three, four or five people participating in the webinar sharing one computer and phone line so as many folks as possible could participate.

We had a great line up:

- Tim Parker, Manager of Corporate Security, L.L. Bean (Employer Perspective)

- Dan Fallon, Health Promotion and Wellness Consultant, CIGNA (EAP Perspective)

- Juan Ramos, Senior Program Director, Domestic Violence Accountability Program, Safe Horizon (Batterer's Program Perspective)

There were a lot of text chat questions and this webinar was a great start to discuss this truly important and difficult issue.

If you could not be there, we have the next best thing for you. The audio and video recording of the webinar is available at at http://calcasa.ilinc.com/public/caepv.

The materials and downloads for the webinar are available at http://www.caepv.org/about/program_detail.php?refID=44.

While this discussion in no way "solves" this very difficult issue for employers, it certainly opens a path for discussion and consideration.

Please feel free to dial into the webinar and download the materials! Also note the other materials that CAEPV has available to assist you as you look at these issues - they are also available directly from this page.

SAFEWORK 2010 ADDS RENE LERER, CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF MAGELLAN HEALTH SERVICES TO ITS ROSTER

Another CEO has taken the Pledge!

I am so happy to note that Rene Lerer, Chairman and CEO of Magellan Health Services, has taken the SafeWork 2010 Pledge!

It is a especially cool, because this was a direct result of our S2- Safer, Smarter Workplace Conference. This step of having the Magellan CEO sign the SafeWork 2010 pledge was an “action step” from one of our conference attendees from Magellan! Kudos to him for getting that done!!!

Magellan Health Services is one of the country’s leading diversified specialty health care management organizations. A Fortune 1,000 company, Magellan offers clients a comprehensive, integrated suite of products, including behavioral health management, radiology benefits management, and specialty pharmacy management.

To view the growing list of CEOs who have signed the SafeWork 2010 Pledge, click here.
And what is the Pledge? It is very simple:

I am committed to addressing the issue of domestic violence in the workplace. I recognize that domestic violence impacts my employees, my company and my business. Therefore, I pledge to take action, lead change, and raise awareness as a member of SafeWork 2010.

CEOs sign the SafeWork 2010 Pledge, committing to address the impact of domestic violence in their workplace. To help them learn more about SafeWork 2010, they receive an awesome CEO Action Kit created by Safe Horizon and CAEPV provided by the generous support of The Allstate Foundation.

If you are interested in having your CEO sign the SafeWork 2010 Pledge, contact Joanna Colangelo at Safe Horizon at joanna.colangelo@safehorizon.org.

Leading Corporations Engage Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) to Combat Domestic Violence in the Workplace

This unprecedented initiative focuses on leveraging resources of EAPs and employers to better assist employees affected by domestic violence.

On November 6 and 7, major employers such as Verizon Wireless, Liz Claiborne Inc., Macy’s, and Gap Inc., along with leading EAP providers including CIGNA, OptumBehavioral Health, ValueOptions and others will work together to create a new national plan to help employers make better use of EAPs to help employees who are victims of domestic violence. The plan, called the S2 Blueprint for Action, will outline the significant advancements that employers and EAPs can move forward during the next one to three years to increase the level of support and assistance to employees involved in domestic violence.

The plan is the first such effort designed to leverage the work of EAPs and employers in responding to domestic violence in the workplace. During this fragile economic time, tapping existing resources to assist employees who are victims of domestic violence is critically important. The conference was organized by the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence (CAEPV).

Research conducted by the CAEPV indicates that 21 percent of full-time employees are victims of domestic violence. Sixty-four (64) percent of these employees indicated their ability to work was impacted by the abuse going on at home. Among key causes for their decline in productivity, victims noted "distraction" (57%); "fear of discovery" (45%); "harassment by intimate partner at work (either by phone or in person)" (40%); fear of intimate partner's unexpected visits" (34%); "inability to complete assignments on time" (24%); and "job loss" (21%).

CAEPV is promoting the S2 Blueprint for Action, and attendees will participate in a webinar in February 2009, to evaluate their progress and determine next steps. The conference highlighted various ways that well-equipped EAPs can be used to assist domestic victims effectively and economically including:

- EAPs can present workplace education programs on issues such as recognizing healthy and unhealthy relationships.
- EAPs can provide resources including referrals to services such as counseling or legal assistance that can help a victim maintain stability while working.
- EAPs can guide managers in how to best assist employees who they think may be victims of domestic violence.
- EAPs can be a valuable part of the “domestic violence response team” that includes management, human resources, security and the EAP to proactively address domestic violence cases impacting the workplace.

A powerful national collaboration will be engaged through the S2 - Safer, Smarter Workplace Conference. This is the first time employers and EAPs will come together to address domestic violence as an issue that affects productivity, absenteeism, presenteeism, turnover, healthcare costs and workplace safety. If employers and EAPs can strategically address these issues, they will provide a true "value-added" service in this difficult economy.

The S2 – Smarter, Safer Workplace Conference takes place November 6 and 7 at the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco. For more information, visit http://www.caepv.org/about/program_detail.php?refID=35.

About the S2 – Safer, Smarter Workplace Conference
The S2 – Safer, Smarter Workplace conference is presented by the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence. This conference was made possible by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, with additional support provided by The Allstate Foundation, Blue Shield of California Foundation, CALCASA, Health Care Service Corporation and Texas Health Resources.

The Technology Sponsor for the conference is the Verizon Foundation.

The conference planning workgroup includes representatives from the following organizations: Chestnut Global Partners; CIGNA; Gap Inc.; Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; Macy’s West; Magellan Health Services; OptumHealth Behavioral Solutions.

Creating a Safer, Smarter Workplace - Addressing Domestic Violence

Things sure have been busy here. . .yesterday we held The Allstate Foundation Pre-Conference Webinar for the S2 – Safer, Smarter Workplace Conference. It was great. . we had employers and EAPs and researchers and others from all over the country at all levels of expertise regarding domestic violence as a workplace issue participating in this interactive 2 hour forum.

We are going to have so much going on at the S2 conference that we really wanted to make sure we have everyone on the same page before we get there, so we did the “pre-conference webinar” to get the business case made for employers and EAPs regarding domestic violence.

And because of the interactive text chat feature (thank you CALCASA) people could chime in with things like “Don’t forget it happens to men and same-sex relationships. . .” and people could make connections and discuss in the midst of the presentations.

In spite of travel restrictions which are REALLY affecting businesses, we are going to have a great turnout for this first of its kind conference. And we will be “unveiling” new research on the topic of domestic violence and EAPs. . .and the people at the webinar were very enthused about that.

We’ll also be presenting real life practices from employers and EAPs working together who are working together “on the ground” right now to effectively assist employees. And we will showcase some case studies of real situations and how the companies dealt with those from HR, Security, EAP, etc. . .so we can all see the different ways different employers and EAPs help employees dealing with domestic violence.

And we will be creating a “blueprint for action”. . .next steps EAPs and employers can take to really make a difference.

And then it hits you right at home why you are doing this. . . a 19 year old young woman in a small community very near here was killed in a domestic violence situation here on Tuesday.

That is why we are having the "Silent Witness" display from Kaiser Permanente there at the conference. . .to make sure we all remember exactly why we are there. And who we are there for.

So. . .THAT'S Who Domestic Violence Happens To. . .

Lately it seems like there have been several "high profile" people in the news accused of commiting domest violence - parents of actors or actors or athletes. And people are often shocked because "domestic violence does not happen to people like that."

I remember when I was at an upscale clothing store buying a suit and the salesperson asked me what I did and I was explaining it. The salesperson noted they were surprised that the kinds of businesses I worked with "had that kind of problem" (domestic violence). I pointed out that if they did not, I would not have a job.

The point is -- it can happen to ANYONE. And it does.

I don't fault people for not knowing that because people don't necessarily openly and easily discuss hurtful things like violence or abuse in their most intimate relationships -- especially if it might cost them their jobs.

I was talking with a woman this weekend about what I do, and she said "I know it can happen to anyone -- it is happening in my family. . .and maybe if my relative's employer provided resources and assistance like you are talking about, she would not feel so trapped and feel like she could reach out for help."

That is really what we are trying to do - provide avenues for help -- recognizing it is an issue for employees and an issue for workplaces. And a workplace can do well by doing good.

And this is also why I am so excited about the S2 - Safer, Smarter, Workplace Conference that the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence is hosting in November sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. We are bringing together employers and Employee Assistance Providers (EAPs) from across the country to leverage how we can all best address this issue. Just imagine -- EAPs reach millions and millions of employees each year through hundreds of thousands of employers. And what if each and every time an employee in a domestic violence situation called the EAP -- the person on the other end was best equipped to help with resources and assistance and was in the best partnership possible with the employer? It is very exciting to me!

It is just one aspect of the issue, but we hope to make a difference.

I was doing an interview for a magazine a few weeks ago, and a journalist asked me the biggest "myth" about domestic violence and professional people. I said it was that "it could not happen" to a professional person because they would be "too smart" or "too educated" and would know better. The fact is, that simply is not true. It, sadly, can happen to anyone.

And I hope that someday, everyone can look around them and realize that it can be as close as next door, or the next office, and reach out to help.