I live in a state where our last governor was just convicted on 17 of 20 counts of various crimes. Our governor previous to him is currently in prison for similar crimes.
But this item from our neighbors to the north caught my eye - it is regarding the Wisconsin Supreme Court and justices allegedly slapping and choking one another- you can read it here.
While I somehow cannot imagine Supreme Court Justices getting physical with one another - I know from doing this job, abuse and violence can happen to anyone...and anyone can be an offender.
What particularly caught my attention was that "the matter was called to the attention of the Wisconsin Judicial Commission, which investigates allegations of misconduct involving judges."
While that may certainly be the role of the Wisconsin Judicial Commission to investigate allegations of "judicial misconduct"....if what is alleged is true, something else is going on here.
It is workplace violence.
It actually "Type 3" Workplace Violence - where the perpetrator(s) are co-workers.
Did you know that according to the most recent Bureau of Justice Statistics report regarding workplace violence* about a quarter (26%) of workplace violence against males and about a third against females were committed by someone with whom the victim had a work relationship? Among the work relationships examined, coworkers were the most likely to attack persons in the workplace. Current or former coworkers committed 16% of workplace violence against males and about 14% against females.
When the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence (CAEPV) works with employers, one of the first steps in the process is helping them create a policy regarding workplace violence. A policy that makes it clear that no one - employees, managers, vendors, etc - can use workplace time and resources to threaten, abuse or harm anyone.
(I wonder if the Wisconsin State Supreme Court has such a policy? If not, we'd be happy to provide them some samples.)
It should not matter who you are, or what you do - if these people acted this way on the street, or in another place of business, they certainly could have been arrested.
For help with workplace violence policy samples or any other resources, please visit our website at www.caepv.org.
(Update: Apparently we are not the only people who recognize this as workplace violence. Read this article from the Wisconsin State Journal.)
*March 2011, U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Special Report,Workplace Violence 1999- 2009, NCJ 233231
Showing posts with label workplace policy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label workplace policy. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Monday, February 22, 2010
Delaware Governor Announces New State Employee Domestic Violence Policy
On February 12, Delaware Governor Jack A. Markell announced to state employees a new State of Delaware Domestic Violence Policy that will better assist state employees who are victims of domestic violence, delivering on a pledge the Governor made in October 2009 in Executive Order 12. “No one should go to work in fear. We want employees who feel threatened by domestic violence to get the help and support they need. This policy is designed to put victims at ease discussing and seeking assistance for their individual situation. We will not tolerate domestic violence of any type or magnitude,” said Markell.
Delaware’s new Domestic Violence Policy for state employees was drafted by the Human Resources Management Section of the Office of Management and Budget in conjunction with advocacy groups. It provides guidelines and procedures to assist state employees affected by domestic violence.
The state will reasonably accommodate victims needing assistance in areas such as work schedule adjustments, temporary relocations to a new office, parking space re-assignments, and security escorts. Photographs of perpetrators may be provided to security and if an employee agrees, co-workers may be advised of the situation. Each state agency shall designate an individual who may assist with domestic violence issues within that agency. Employees who are victims may choose to notify that designated individual or a supervisor. The policy is consistent with applicable federal and state law, merit rules and collective bargaining agreements. The state is encouraging employee/victims to retain any evidence of domestic violence activity, such as threatening emails, text or voice-mail messages.
Agencies instrumental in developing the policy included the Domestic Violence Coordinating Council, chaired by Senator Patricia Blevins; the Delaware Coalition Against Domestic Violence; ContactLifeline; the Domestic Violence Task Force of the Delaware Commission for Women, the Victims’ Rights Task Force and the Delaware Center for Justice.
Delaware’s new Domestic Violence Policy for state employees was drafted by the Human Resources Management Section of the Office of Management and Budget in conjunction with advocacy groups. It provides guidelines and procedures to assist state employees affected by domestic violence.
The state will reasonably accommodate victims needing assistance in areas such as work schedule adjustments, temporary relocations to a new office, parking space re-assignments, and security escorts. Photographs of perpetrators may be provided to security and if an employee agrees, co-workers may be advised of the situation. Each state agency shall designate an individual who may assist with domestic violence issues within that agency. Employees who are victims may choose to notify that designated individual or a supervisor. The policy is consistent with applicable federal and state law, merit rules and collective bargaining agreements. The state is encouraging employee/victims to retain any evidence of domestic violence activity, such as threatening emails, text or voice-mail messages.
Agencies instrumental in developing the policy included the Domestic Violence Coordinating Council, chaired by Senator Patricia Blevins; the Delaware Coalition Against Domestic Violence; ContactLifeline; the Domestic Violence Task Force of the Delaware Commission for Women, the Victims’ Rights Task Force and the Delaware Center for Justice.
Friday, May 08, 2009
Six Steps for Creating a Domestic Violence in the Workplace Program That Works
Here are the "six steps" that we suggest at the Corporate Alliance (www.caepv.org) for creating a successful domestic violence in the workplace policy. You can find an entire downloadable document on these six steps on our website at www.caepv.org in our Take Action/Starting a Workplace Program Section.
1) Organize a multi-disciplinary team to oversee the process
A multidisciplinary team allows the stakeholders in different areas of the company to plan for program implementation in a way that works best for the organization. The stakeholder group should establish a realistic action plan and timeline for implementing the program. Areas that should be represented on the team include professionals from the following areas: human resources; health and medical; legal; security; internal communications; public or media relations or consumer affairs; community outreach; employee assistance programs (EAPs); and unions.
A key component to the success of a workplace program is a commitment from the uppermost levels of the organization. To give the team legitimacy, it is optimal to have the chief executive officer (CEO) or president appoint its members. In this first step, employers may want to consider surveying employees regarding issues of workplace safety, including intimate partner violence. This approach allows the multidisciplinary team to have a baseline level regarding employee awareness of all workplace safety issues.
2) Develop a workplace policy addressing intimate partner violence
The CAEPV sample policy includes the issue of intimate partner violence in a more comprehensive policy on workplace safety. This fact does not mean that a company cannot have a separate policy on domestic violence as a workplace issue. For example, Liz Claiborne has two distinct policies; however, the inclusion of intimate partner violence within a comprehensive policy may streamline the process for many companies.
The multidisciplinary team should review existing policies and procedures to determine whichmpolicy covers the issue of intimate partner violence. Examples of such policies include family friendly benefits, such as flexible leave time that can be used to attend court or go to counseling. The policy should allow supervisors and human resources professionals to offer paid time off, flexible hours, or new shifts to victims so that the victims can avoid or flee their batterers, seek social service assistance, or deal with legal matters. Policies should emphasize mthat no violence or threats of violence should take place on workplace grounds or while an employee is on duty or acting in the interests of the employer, and they should spell out potential consequences of such actions.
This approach holds true whether the person making the threat is to a co-worker, vendor, or intimate partner at home. It allows companies to discipline abusive employees who are violent or who threaten violence, including those who use workplace phones, faxes, or e-mail to harass their intimate partners.
State and municipal laws vary greatly with reference to intimate partner violence and workplace issues such as unemployment insurance and nondiscrimination laws. Companies should work directly with their legal departments to develop policies and programs. They can access up-todate information on legislation regarding intimate partner violence and unemployment insurance, leave for victims of domestic violence, nondiscrimination laws, domestic violence policies, and workplace restraining orders at the Legal Momentum website
(http://www.legalmomentum.org/).
The focus of workplace policies and plans should be safety issues for the workplace and for the victim. Keep in mind that a workplace policy and program is only as good as the internal culture that supports it. Companies must create a workplace in which victimized employees believe that they will get help and will not be fired or discriminated against for sharing this information with a supervisor or manager. The same must be true for batterers who voluntarily seek help through workplace resources.
3) Provide training - "Recognize, Respond and Refer"
A series of departments within each organization should be trained; first and foremost, all members of the interdisciplinary team should receive training. This training includes awareness and general knowledge of intimate partner violence and familiarity with the company’s policies and protocols in handling such cases. Specific protocols include determining who brings the team together when a case comes up and how cases are reviewed. This training must take place before any internal publicity about the policy or program.
Members of the security team should be trained to perform threat assessments; help create individual workplace safety plans; and assist victims of intimate partner violence by providing escorts to and from the office, securing parking and work spaces, screening calls, and providing other services. In some states, employers can apply for orders of protection on behalf of victimized employees.
The goal is to train managers to recognize -- to be aware of signs of violence for potential victims and perpetrators, and local domestic violence service providers often can assist with this training at little or no cost. Because managers are not in a position to address domestic violence as a separate issue unless the employee self-discloses the problem, managers should understand how to respond – to appropriately address changes in behavior that is affecting performance. Finally, managers should learn to whom to refer – whom to call internally and externally if such a situation arises.
Training should include issues of privacy and confidentiality. In some companies, information regarding a domestic violence situation is kept separately from the regular employee file to protect the confidentiality of the victim. Company representatives should not give personal advice or counseling (unless they are part of an in-house EAP)—this type of help should be left to the experts. Explanations of items, such as protective orders and how to enforce them under local law, are helpful. Training should outline what actions are appropriate and what referrals are available. Policies and protocols are guidelines, however, and there are not always black and white correct answers. Many incidents have to be handled on a case-by-case basis.
Employee education should include an understanding of intimate partner violence, possible warning signs, and how to respond sensitively and confidentially when victimized employees are identified. Employees should learn how to communicate with a victim or a perpetrator. As in the case of managers, coworkers are not counselors but are facilitators for helping co-workers.
4) Build awareness through workplace communications
Employers can use newsletters, payroll stuffers, e-mail, intranet sites, posters, and brochures to provide ongoing information to employees. Many of these materials are available for free or for a nominal fee from local service providers and other organizations such as CAEPV(http://www.caepv.org/).
Employers should incorporate information about awareness of domestic
violence into employee orientation programs, handbooks, or intranet-based human resources information. For the best effect, educational and awareness programs on domestic violence should be intertwined with other complimentary programs. Employee wellness fairs, workplace safety programs, and family issues seminars are effective venues for sharing information about intimate partner violence.
5) Enlist employees' help to ensure a violence-free zone
Employees should know that they will not be penalized for seeking help for themselves, their families, or co-workers. In conjunction with the human resources department and EAP (if applicable), employers should offer resources for victims of intimate partner violence and abusers. Employees should be educated regarding security procedures to keep themselves and others safe in the workplace, including how to avoid inadvertently giving batterers access to victims and where to go to report a potential threat. Employees should receive information on how to recognize the signs of a troublesome or abusive relationship and know where to turn for
assistance for themselves or for co-workers.
A 2001 study found that perpetrators of deadly domestic violence had several common characteristics, including extreme jealousy and possessiveness, stalking, and hitting victims at least once before the death occurred. All of these abusers had been violent with a previous partner. In this study, everyone who was close to the victims and perpetrators knew that something was wrong in the relationships but did not intervene. Employers must work with victims to develop an individualized workplace safety plan without making assistance contingent on any action by the abused person (eg, leaving the batterer).
For additional employee education, employers can invite local resource groups, such as local shelters, counseling groups, or law enforcement agencies, to provide speakers for company programs. Most local groups are happy to provide speakers and information. Companies should empower employees to take a stand—as caring co-workers and as the company’s ambassadors. Interested employees can form a communications task force that works within the guidelines established by the cross-functional steering committee to implement a communications plan.
6) Broaden communications to include the community, important stakeholders in the company’s industry, and other organizations
Employers can spread the word and encourage other companies to participate by communicating the message to key external stakeholders, including local and trade media, community and trade organizations, customers, suppliers, shareholders, and government officials. Networking with other employers to share case studies and best practices strengthens the employer’s program and provides a forum to provide assistance to other employers that may be interested in addressing domestic violence as a workplace issue.
Whether individually or in groups, these employers are committed to reaching out to the community to engage local service providers in training their staff or EAP members. They also engage employees in volunteer activities for service providers. They partner with service agencies for events, such as medical fairs, employee-wellness fairs, and community projects, and conduct drives to collect clothes, toys, furniture, or money for a local domestic violence program or shelter.
Employers who take on the challenge of addressing intimate partner violence as a workplace issue are true leaders. They are choosing enlightened self-interest in an effort to save lives—and change society. As a survivor of intimate partner violence shared with me, ‘‘Were it not for my company’s program on intimate partner violence, not only would I probably not have a job, I would probably not be alive today.’’
This is not exhaustive but it is a start --now are you ready to take action?
1) Organize a multi-disciplinary team to oversee the process
A multidisciplinary team allows the stakeholders in different areas of the company to plan for program implementation in a way that works best for the organization. The stakeholder group should establish a realistic action plan and timeline for implementing the program. Areas that should be represented on the team include professionals from the following areas: human resources; health and medical; legal; security; internal communications; public or media relations or consumer affairs; community outreach; employee assistance programs (EAPs); and unions.
A key component to the success of a workplace program is a commitment from the uppermost levels of the organization. To give the team legitimacy, it is optimal to have the chief executive officer (CEO) or president appoint its members. In this first step, employers may want to consider surveying employees regarding issues of workplace safety, including intimate partner violence. This approach allows the multidisciplinary team to have a baseline level regarding employee awareness of all workplace safety issues.
2) Develop a workplace policy addressing intimate partner violence
The CAEPV sample policy includes the issue of intimate partner violence in a more comprehensive policy on workplace safety. This fact does not mean that a company cannot have a separate policy on domestic violence as a workplace issue. For example, Liz Claiborne has two distinct policies; however, the inclusion of intimate partner violence within a comprehensive policy may streamline the process for many companies.
The multidisciplinary team should review existing policies and procedures to determine whichmpolicy covers the issue of intimate partner violence. Examples of such policies include family friendly benefits, such as flexible leave time that can be used to attend court or go to counseling. The policy should allow supervisors and human resources professionals to offer paid time off, flexible hours, or new shifts to victims so that the victims can avoid or flee their batterers, seek social service assistance, or deal with legal matters. Policies should emphasize mthat no violence or threats of violence should take place on workplace grounds or while an employee is on duty or acting in the interests of the employer, and they should spell out potential consequences of such actions.
This approach holds true whether the person making the threat is to a co-worker, vendor, or intimate partner at home. It allows companies to discipline abusive employees who are violent or who threaten violence, including those who use workplace phones, faxes, or e-mail to harass their intimate partners.
State and municipal laws vary greatly with reference to intimate partner violence and workplace issues such as unemployment insurance and nondiscrimination laws. Companies should work directly with their legal departments to develop policies and programs. They can access up-todate information on legislation regarding intimate partner violence and unemployment insurance, leave for victims of domestic violence, nondiscrimination laws, domestic violence policies, and workplace restraining orders at the Legal Momentum website
(http://www.legalmomentum.org/).
The focus of workplace policies and plans should be safety issues for the workplace and for the victim. Keep in mind that a workplace policy and program is only as good as the internal culture that supports it. Companies must create a workplace in which victimized employees believe that they will get help and will not be fired or discriminated against for sharing this information with a supervisor or manager. The same must be true for batterers who voluntarily seek help through workplace resources.
3) Provide training - "Recognize, Respond and Refer"
A series of departments within each organization should be trained; first and foremost, all members of the interdisciplinary team should receive training. This training includes awareness and general knowledge of intimate partner violence and familiarity with the company’s policies and protocols in handling such cases. Specific protocols include determining who brings the team together when a case comes up and how cases are reviewed. This training must take place before any internal publicity about the policy or program.
Members of the security team should be trained to perform threat assessments; help create individual workplace safety plans; and assist victims of intimate partner violence by providing escorts to and from the office, securing parking and work spaces, screening calls, and providing other services. In some states, employers can apply for orders of protection on behalf of victimized employees.
The goal is to train managers to recognize -- to be aware of signs of violence for potential victims and perpetrators, and local domestic violence service providers often can assist with this training at little or no cost. Because managers are not in a position to address domestic violence as a separate issue unless the employee self-discloses the problem, managers should understand how to respond – to appropriately address changes in behavior that is affecting performance. Finally, managers should learn to whom to refer – whom to call internally and externally if such a situation arises.
Training should include issues of privacy and confidentiality. In some companies, information regarding a domestic violence situation is kept separately from the regular employee file to protect the confidentiality of the victim. Company representatives should not give personal advice or counseling (unless they are part of an in-house EAP)—this type of help should be left to the experts. Explanations of items, such as protective orders and how to enforce them under local law, are helpful. Training should outline what actions are appropriate and what referrals are available. Policies and protocols are guidelines, however, and there are not always black and white correct answers. Many incidents have to be handled on a case-by-case basis.
Employee education should include an understanding of intimate partner violence, possible warning signs, and how to respond sensitively and confidentially when victimized employees are identified. Employees should learn how to communicate with a victim or a perpetrator. As in the case of managers, coworkers are not counselors but are facilitators for helping co-workers.
4) Build awareness through workplace communications
Employers can use newsletters, payroll stuffers, e-mail, intranet sites, posters, and brochures to provide ongoing information to employees. Many of these materials are available for free or for a nominal fee from local service providers and other organizations such as CAEPV(http://www.caepv.org/).
Employers should incorporate information about awareness of domestic
violence into employee orientation programs, handbooks, or intranet-based human resources information. For the best effect, educational and awareness programs on domestic violence should be intertwined with other complimentary programs. Employee wellness fairs, workplace safety programs, and family issues seminars are effective venues for sharing information about intimate partner violence.
5) Enlist employees' help to ensure a violence-free zone
Employees should know that they will not be penalized for seeking help for themselves, their families, or co-workers. In conjunction with the human resources department and EAP (if applicable), employers should offer resources for victims of intimate partner violence and abusers. Employees should be educated regarding security procedures to keep themselves and others safe in the workplace, including how to avoid inadvertently giving batterers access to victims and where to go to report a potential threat. Employees should receive information on how to recognize the signs of a troublesome or abusive relationship and know where to turn for
assistance for themselves or for co-workers.
A 2001 study found that perpetrators of deadly domestic violence had several common characteristics, including extreme jealousy and possessiveness, stalking, and hitting victims at least once before the death occurred. All of these abusers had been violent with a previous partner. In this study, everyone who was close to the victims and perpetrators knew that something was wrong in the relationships but did not intervene. Employers must work with victims to develop an individualized workplace safety plan without making assistance contingent on any action by the abused person (eg, leaving the batterer).
For additional employee education, employers can invite local resource groups, such as local shelters, counseling groups, or law enforcement agencies, to provide speakers for company programs. Most local groups are happy to provide speakers and information. Companies should empower employees to take a stand—as caring co-workers and as the company’s ambassadors. Interested employees can form a communications task force that works within the guidelines established by the cross-functional steering committee to implement a communications plan.
6) Broaden communications to include the community, important stakeholders in the company’s industry, and other organizations
Employers can spread the word and encourage other companies to participate by communicating the message to key external stakeholders, including local and trade media, community and trade organizations, customers, suppliers, shareholders, and government officials. Networking with other employers to share case studies and best practices strengthens the employer’s program and provides a forum to provide assistance to other employers that may be interested in addressing domestic violence as a workplace issue.
Whether individually or in groups, these employers are committed to reaching out to the community to engage local service providers in training their staff or EAP members. They also engage employees in volunteer activities for service providers. They partner with service agencies for events, such as medical fairs, employee-wellness fairs, and community projects, and conduct drives to collect clothes, toys, furniture, or money for a local domestic violence program or shelter.
Employers who take on the challenge of addressing intimate partner violence as a workplace issue are true leaders. They are choosing enlightened self-interest in an effort to save lives—and change society. As a survivor of intimate partner violence shared with me, ‘‘Were it not for my company’s program on intimate partner violence, not only would I probably not have a job, I would probably not be alive today.’’
This is not exhaustive but it is a start --now are you ready to take action?
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Workplace Policies and Domestic Violence - Does One Size Fit All?
I often get asked about different kinds of policies to address different types of workplaces with respect to domestic violence.
Not all workplaces are the same, and not all workplace cultures have the same kinds of policies. Some are very brief and have a different set of procedures or guidelines to go with their policies, and some policies are all-inclusive.
Some workplaces have union employees, some do not. So there are differences in the way that policies are constructed depending on the organization or type of employer, but not necessarily what kinds of issues should be touched upon.
For sample policies and resources you can check out http://www.caepv.org/ - we have tons of great resources and a sample policy to get you started from the "Start A Workplace Program" section.
For a great policy from an institution of higher education – specifically Buffalo State College – check out their policy at http://www.buffalostate.edu/offices/hr/dvwp.asp. It is just one example of many but gets away from the idea that only a "corporation" would have such a policy (and believe me, I've been told that!)
I also have to give “props” to my friends at the Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence (OPDV) in the State of New York. Amy Barasch (the Executive Director) has done an amazing job, and they are working with all state agencies in New York to get policies in place. For more on that, check http://www.opdv.state.ny.us/workplace/index.html.
Remember -- policies can be scalable and amenable to your workplace culture. But policies can also be put in a drawer and never used if they are not followed up with training and education and awareness programs within the workplace so managers and employees know what to do, who to talk to, and what resources are available.
For example, one of our CAEPV member companies places links for resources in several different locations on its employee intranet, so an employee in need of help related to domestic violence does not just go to the "Domestic Violence" spot to find it. They may find it in a Work/Life section, or a Workplace Safety section, or a Family Life section, or many other areas of the intranet. Not only does this provide information in easily accessible ways, it makes the issue one that shows up regularly so even employees who may not need the help (right now) see it.
Domestic violence comprised 24% of the workplace violence incidents reported to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in their survey of businesses with 1,000 or more employees - more than "criminal incidents" at 17% -- so it would be wise for any company to attend to this issue in the same way they think about potential crime at the workplace.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)