SAFEWORK 2010 -- ARE YOU PART OF IT YET?

In this economy it is more important than ever to take a stand together to address domestic violence in the workplace.

And what better way to stand together than by having our CEOs sign a pledge? If your organization is not already part of SafeWork 2010, now is the time!

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. (There are WONDERFUL resources in that kit!!)

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

SAFEWORK 2010 ADDS ROCHELLE LEFKOWITZ, PRESIDENT & FOUNDER OF PRO-MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS TO ITS ROSTER

We are pleased to announce that Rochelle Lefkowitz, President and Founder of Pro-Media Communications, has taken the SafeWork 2010 Pledge! We are especially proud of this since Pro-Media is a CAEPV member!

Pro-Media is a bicoastal communications firm dedicated to social change, infused with a commitment to justice, equality and progressive issues. Pro-Media represents some of the most widely-respected organizations and individuals in the fields of economic and social justice, intellectual freedom, women’s rights, health care, criminal justice reform, philanthropy, education and other progressive social issues – and so it makes perfect sense they would want to engage in addressing domestic violence education and awareness programs for their own employees.

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.

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.

SAFEWORK 2010 ADDS TOM EARLY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HEALTH PLUS TO ITS ROSTER

I am pleased to announce that Tom Early, Executive Director of Health Plus, has taken the SafeWork 2010 Pledge!

Established in 1984 by Lutheran Medical Center (LMC), Health Plus provides coordinated healthcare and improves access to care for a diverse and growing number of uninsured New Yorkers in Southwest Brooklyn. Today, Health Plus serves the five boroughs of New York and Nassau County and covers nearly 270,000 members.

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.

SAFEWORK 2010 ADDS NEIL CALMAN, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH TO ITS ROSTER

I am so happy to report that Neil Calman, President and CEO of The Institute for Health has taken the SafeWork 2010 Pledge!

The Institute's mission is to improve the quality and availability of family practice services in response to the needs of medically underserved populations. In support of this mission, the Institute:

- Develops and operates health facilities on a family practice model integrating the work of a broad range of health professionals;
- Trains health professionals and other health care workers in the family practice model of care;
- Engages in health services research related to primary health care delivery and primary care education;
- Formulates health policy in support of its direct patient care and educational goals;
- Promotes the diversity of its workforce and provides an environment that encourages personal and professional development for all.

In our rapidly evolving health care system, the Institute’s leadership will help to insure that future generations of needy New Yorkers have an opportunity to live longer, healthier lives.

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. It is FULL of free tools and information we've created to get a company jump-started on their own workplace program.

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

SAFEWORK 2010 ADDS TORY JOHNSON, CEO OF WOMEN FOR HIRE, TO ITS ROSTER!

We are pleased to announce that Tory Johnson, CEO of Women For Hire has just taken the SafeWork 2010 Pledge!

Women For Hire (WFH) was founded in 1999 as the first and only company devoted to a comprehensive array of recruitment services for women. Women For Hire offers signature career expos, inspiring speeches and seminars, a popular career-focused magazine, customized marketing programs, and an online job board that helps leading employers connect with top-notch professional women in all fields.

The company’s core business is producing the nation’s only high caliber career expos, thus enabling America's top employers to meet one-on-one with a coveted pool of talented women in all disciplines. These events pair recruiters from a mix of Fortune 500 companies, medium-sized businesses, non-profit organizations and government agencies with women in a wide range of disciplines.

Tory Johnson, CEO of WFH, also serves as the Workplace Contributor for Good Morning America, an anchor of Home Work on ABC News Now (digital) and a columnist for ABCnews.com and Hotjobs.com. She is also the author of four books: Women For Hire: The Ultimate Guide to Getting a Job; Women For Hire’s Get-Ahead Guide to Career Success; Take This Book to Work: How to Ask For (and Get) Money, Fulfillment, and Advancement; Will Work From Home: Earn Cash Without the Commute (New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-seller).

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.

SAFEWORK 2010 ADDS 20TH LEADER TO ITS ROSTER!

CEO #20 has taken the pledge!! I am happy to report that Stanley Brezenoff, CEO of Continuum Health Partners, has just taken the SafeWork 2010 pledge! Continuum Health Partners is the parent company for Beth Israel Medical Center, St. Luke's and Roosevelt Hospitals, Long Island College Hospital and New York Eye and Ear Infirmary – all major New York City hospitals. 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.

SafeWork 2010 Adds Leaders To Its Roster!

We have some great new leaders that have added their names to membership in SafeWork 2010:

· Ron Fierman, President of Digital Pulp, an award-winning online advertising and web
development company
· Vic Broccolino, President of Howard County General Hospital, a member of Johns
Hopkins Medicine
· Susan White, President of White + Warren, a boutique cashmere clothing and accessories
company whose products are carried in over 500 stores nationwide

The growing SafeWork 2010 list includes:

Thomas J. Wilson, Allstate Insurance Company*
Louis C. Camilleri, Altria Group, Inc.*
Andrea Jung, Avon Products, Inc.*
Jens Bang, Cone, LLC
Ron Fierman, Digital Pulp
Mary Ann Scully, Howard Bank
Vic Broccolino, Howard County General Hospital
Andrea Wong, Lifetime Entertainment Services*
William McComb, Liz Claiborne Inc.*
Marcia Nagle, Longview Associates, LLC*
David B. Holl, Mary Kay Inc.*
Andrew R. Urban, Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo P.C.
Dr. Robert Pearl, The Permanente Medical Group, Kaiser Permanente*
Emanuel Chirico, Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation
Steve Jacaruso, Le Sportsac
Neil L. Rubler, Vantage Properties, LLC
Lowell McAdam, Verizon Wireless*
Susan White, White + Warren

*CAEPV Member

All of the above CEOs have signed the SafeWork 2010 Pledge. 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.

SAFEWORK 2010 ADDS ANOTHER CEO TO ITS ROSTER

We are pleased to announce Marcia Nagle, President of Longview Associates, Inc., as the newest member of SafeWork 2010. Founded in 1979, Longview Associates, Inc. is a pioneer in the employee assistance program (EAP) industry. Today, Longview Associates, Inc. provides comprehensive personalized programs to the management and employees of over 100 local and national corporations, hospitals, school districts, and other non-profit organizations.

The growing SafeWork 2010 list includes:

Thomas J. Wilson, Allstate Insurance Company*
Louis C. Camilleri, Altria Group, Inc.*
Andrea Jung, Avon Products, Inc.*
Jens Bang, Cone, LLC
Mary Ann Scully, Howard Bank
Andrea Wong, Lifetime Entertainment Services*
William McComb, Liz Claiborne Inc.*
Marcia Nagle, Longview Associates, Inc.*
David B. Holl, Mary Kay Inc.*
Andrew R. Urban, Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo P.C.
Dr. Robert Pearl, The Permanente Medical Group, Kaiser Permanente*
Emanuel Chirico, Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation
Steve Jacaruso, Le Sportsac
Neil L. Rubler, Vantage Properties, LLC
Lowell McAdam, Verizon Wireless*

*CAEPV Member

All of the above CEOs have signed the SafeWork 2010 Pledge. 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.

Vantage Properties LLC CEO Signs On To SafeWork 2010

SafeWork Pledge: 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.

Congratulations to Neil L. Rubler, President and CEO, Vantage Properties LLC. Why I am congratulating him? Because he is the latest CEO to sign onto the pledge you see above -- a pledge to take action, lead change, and raise awareness of domestic violence as a workplace issue.

He joins the following CEOs that have already signed the Pledge:

Thomas J. Wilson, Allstate Insurance Company*

Louis C. Camilleri, Altria Group, Inc.*

Andrea Jung, Avon Products, Inc.*

Jens Bang, Cone, LLC

Mary Ann Scully, Howard Bank

Andrea Wong, Lifetime Entertainment Services*

William McComb, Liz Claiborne Inc.*

Steve Jacaruso, Le Sportsac

David B. Holl, Mary Kay Inc.*

Andrew R. Urban, Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo P.C.

Dr. Robert Pearl, The Permanente Medical Group, Kaiser Permanente*

Emanuel Chirico, Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation

Neil L. Rubler, Vantage Properties, LLC

Lowell McAdam, Verizon Wireless*

*CAEPV Member Company

There is no financial commitment for signing the SafeWork pledge and becoming a member of SafeWork 2010. And those who do receive an awesome CEO Action Kit created by Safe Horizon with the assistance of CAEPV – and provided through the generous support of The Allstate Foundation. What could be simpler?

Companies can choose to act on the pledge in a way that works best for them, but the CEO Kit even provides SafeWork 2010 Action Steps to help! Some of the Action Steps are joining the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence (http://www.caepv.org/), strengthening workplace policies that address domestic violence, hosting education and training sessions, and distributing educational materials about domestic violence to employees.We hope to see 200 companies on this list by 2010!

If you would like to join us, contact Melissa Madzel at mmadzel@safehorizon.org. Maybe we will see your CEOs name on this list!

SafeWork 2010 - Three More CEOs Sign On Pledging To Address Domestic Violence As A Workplace Issue

SafeWork Pledge: 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.

Congratulations to Jens Bang, CEO of Cone, LLC, Steve Jacaruso, CEO of Le Sportsac and Mary Ann Scully, President and CEO of Howard Bank in Maryland.

Why am I congratulating them?

Because they all recently signed the pledge you see above -- a pledge to take action, lead change, and raise awareness of domestic violence as a workplace issue.

They join the following CEOs that have already signed the Pledge:

Thomas J. Wilson, Allstate Insurance Company*
Louis C. Camilleri, Altria Group, Inc.*
Andrea Jung, Avon Products, Inc.*
Andrea Wong, Lifetime Entertainment Services*
William McComb, Liz Claiborne Inc.*
David B. Holl, Mary Kay Inc.*
Andrew R. Urban, Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo P.C.
Dr. Robert Pearl, The Permanente Medical Group, Kaiser Permanente*
Emanuel Chirico, Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation
Lowell McAdam, Verizon Wireless*

*CAEPV Member Company

There is no financial commitment for signing the SafeWork pledge and becoming a member of SafeWork 2010. And those who do receive an awesome CEO Action Kit created by Safe Horizon with the assistance of CAEPV – and provided through the generous support of The Allstate Foundation. What could be simpler?

Companies can choose to act on the pledge in a way that works best for them, but the CEO Kit even provides SafeWork 2010 Action Steps to help! Some of the Action Steps are joining the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence (www.caepv.org), strengthening workplace policies that address domestic violence, hosting education and training sessions, and distributing educational materials about domestic violence to employees.

We hope to see 200 companies on this list by 2010! If you would like to join us, contact Melissa Madzel at mmadzel@safehorizon.org.

Maybe we will see your CEOs name on this list!

Dow Jones Companies, Nonprofits Work To Aid Domestic Violence Victims

Here is a great story from the Dow Jones Newswires about the work we are doing with Safe Horizon and many Dow Jones companies on SafeWork 2010:

Dianne Merrigan knew she had to get out of the relationship after the verbal abuse started again. She saw the warning signs. The first time, her husband's remarks had escalated into a beating that put her in the hospital, she said. The second time, the abuse had cost her a high-paying position as a human resources generalist at an insurance company.

So Merrigan, who now works as a human resources recruiter for a hospital, had her employer deposit 5% of her paycheck into a separate checking account, small enough so that her husband wouldn't notice. Had her husband realized what she was doing, she feared he would have emptied out their shared bank account again or worse, said Merrigan.

Advocates for domestic violence victims understand the importance of employment and financial security in getting women out of abusive relationships.

This is why companies and nonprofit organizations are partnering to focus on victims' financial management and why employers are making sure they have the resources to safeguard their staff and their bottom line.

The impact of domestic violence on the workplace includes safety issues, dangerous and stressful situations, and low productivity.

"For domestic violence victims, the violence and abuse at home doesn't stay at home. It follows them to work," said Scott Millstein, interim chief executive of Safe Horizon, a victim assistance organization.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report in 2003 that intimate-partner violence against women exceeds $5.8 billion in health-related costs each year, including about $4.1 billion for direct medical and mental health care services and productivity losses of about $1.8 billion. In 2005, the CDC also found that one of four women have experienced physical or sexual intimate-partner violence in their lifetime, and one of seven men have experienced the same.

This type of violence is linked to health risk behaviors such as smoking, binge drinking and sexual risk taking, and chronic health conditions such as asthma, arthritis and stroke, the CDC reported.

"(Finances) can be one of the main reasons why women decide they can't leave an abusive situation, or end up returning to one," said Rene Renick, director of programs and operations for the National Network to End Domestic Violence.

Renick's organization and the Allstate Foundation are working together to create tools to improve short- and long-term financial opportunities for domestic violence survivors, including providing small grants for education and job training purposes. The Click to Empower campaign is raising funds to address needs not covered by other financial resources, such as books and supplies for school, certification fees, tuition, child care and even fees for computer access.

"What our company found, and what experts agree on, is that there was and there still is a significant gap of resources that address this specific issue," said Jennifer Kuhn, program manager for the Domestic Violence Program at the Allstate Foundation, part of Allstate Corp. (ALL).

For its part, Safe Horizon, through its SafeWork 2010 campaign announced last fall, is sending out CEO Action Kits to various corporations nationwide in order to raise awareness about domestic abuse and what companies can do to help employees. The kits include such resources as organizations employees can go to and tips on making the workplace a safe zone where they can ask for help.

The Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence, an organization that focuses on the workplace and a SafeWork 2010 national partner, states victims can also approach their medical or wellness departments or employee assistance programs.

If the victim feels at risk in the workplace, he or she can contact security personnel and provide them with a photograph of the abuser.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2005 Survey of Workplace Violence Prevention reported that over 10% of private industries have policies addressing domestic violence in the workplace. Less than 5% of all work establishments, including state and local governments, provide training on how to address the issue.

Verizon Wireless, a national partner of SafeWork 2010, said it has helped about 100 employees over the past couple of years.

"We'll change someone's phone number, relocate people, change hours. This benefits our business because employees are an investment and we want them to stay with the company," said Verizon Wireless spokeswoman Debi Lewis. She added that employees can ask for help by talking to their supervisors or local human resources representative, or by calling the employee assistance program number.

The company also offers #HOPE, part of its HopeLine program, which anyone with a Verizon Wireless phone can access by dialing #4673 on his or her handset to be connected to the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

Lewis said the training employees receive through SafeWork 2010 shows them what signs to look out for that might indicate domestic violence so that they feel more comfortable approaching their co-workers in order to point them to a supervisor or someone who can help.

Other SafeWork 2010 founding members include Liz Claiborne Inc. (LIZ), Altria Group Inc. (MO), Mary Kay Inc., Avon Products Inc. (AVP) and several others.

"Batterers try to keep partners in the relationships, and (financial control) is a very powerful way of doing that," Renick said.

Susan Hurlbert, who used to work as an executive assistant at a national insurance company during her turbulent marriage, said her husband controlled everything from how she cooked to allocating her an allowance to spend on personal needs.

The couple had merged their accounts at her husband's insistence, Hurlbert said.

However, when her husband chose to leave the relationship, he also left with their savings, cleaning out their account and leaving nothing to pay the mortgage, utilities and other expenses, she added. She went from a four-bedroom house in one of Connecticut's wealthiest neighborhoods to a two-bedroom apartment.

Community organizations such as the Interval House in Connecticut, which Hurlbert and Merrigan went to for help, offers abuse victims services such as an emergency shelter, support groups and advice on how to regain financial stability.

Renick explained that survivors might not understand their own financial situation, or may have been prevented from accessing their bank accounts or assets.

She recommended that in addition to working with advocates to plan for personal safety before leaving an abusive relationship, survivors also should try to find out what assets they do have, try to learn the passwords and make copies of important documents like driver's licenses, marriage certificates, birth certificates and Social Security information. Survivors also should change personal banking, investing and email account passwords and open up a post office box so that important financial information doesn't end up in the abuser's hands.

The Allstate Foundation's Web site, www.econempowerment.org, offers more tips on how victims can rebuild their financial future by, among other things, obtaining and monitoring their own credit reports and calling utility companies, wireless phone services and banks to secure private information with a new password and/or PIN.

The program also advises against using one's Social Security number, birthday or mother's maiden name to verify one's identity and suggests making changes if the partner is listed as a designated beneficiary on the victim's insurance, will or trust account.

Women are at risk the first year after they leave an abusive relationship, Renick said, giving examples of situations where the abuser can threaten the victim at the workplace and harass co-workers.

Merrigan said she was terminated from a job after she informed her employer that she had placed a protective order against her husband.

"I remember what (the human resources vice president's) exact quote was, and I will never forget it: 'This isn't the right time in your life to have a career,'" Merrigan said.

However, for Merrigan and women in her situation, employment comes at exactly the right time as they look for support and a way out.

-By Saba Ali, Dow Jones Newswires; 201-938-5400; saba.ali@dowjones.com

Six Percent Versus 21% -- Why Do CEOs Think So Few Employees Are Victims of Domestic Violence?

Here is something interesting.

On September 25, we released results of a new survey of employees of Fortune 1500 companies in conjunction with Liz Claiborne -- they released a parallel survey of Fortune 1500 top executives. We did this in partnership with Safe Horizon as we all worked together to launch SafeWork 2010 – a program to challenge CEOs to address domestic violence as a workplace issue. The idea is to get 200 CEOs from Fortune 500 companies to sign this pledge by 2010.

At any rate, in our parallel surveys, while we found that 26% of Fortune 1500 female employees were victims of domestic violence, and that 18% of all Fortune 1500 employees (male and female) identified themselves as such – guess how many victims the CEOs thought worked for them? (By the way this was very similar to the national survey CAEPV did in 2005 when we found that 21% of full time employed adults were victims of domestic violence.)

They guessed 6%.

At the same time, 90% of employees thought it was important for workplaces to have a program to train managers to recognize and respond to domestic violence as a workplace issue – while only 13% of CEOs thought that the workplace was really the place to do something about it.

Why the difference?

My guess is that employees and managers are “on the ground” and seeing these situations on a daily basis. They know that domestic violence is impacting the workplace – they know it is a productivity, absenteeism, presenteeism, turnover, healthcare, and workplace safety issue. They are managing it.

But CEOs have a 30,000 foot view of things and they see the “broad strokes” – after all, that is their job. If someone does not tell them this is going on, how could they be aware of it?

One of the things we learned from the surveys is that if employees ask for it, CEOs say they are much more likely to make these kinds of programs happen.

SO – if you are an employee who wants this kind of program in your workplace, perhaps you can start the ball rolling by making your CEO aware of the impact domestic violence has in workplaces. You can find lots of information on that at www.caepv.org.

I wish the CEOs were right – I wish there were only 6% -- but since there are a lot more, we need to do everything we can to help make this issue “everybody’s business.”