in the workplace.
Peace in the workplace: Employers Guide to Take Action Workplace Domestic Violence Policies Seven Reasons Employers Should Address Domestic Violence Suggestions for solving your workplace problems 
who heard the yelling that hurled the abuse behind the doors which hid the boss who hated mistakes but loved to blame which left the fear etched on her face when she came out an eternity later and walked past without a word.
Employers Guide to ‘ TAKE ACTION' against Domestic Violence in the Workplace
This brochure will guide employers on what to do, what to say, and how to react when an employee is in a domestic situation. WRAP CRISIS LINE : 1-800-639-2350 If your co-worker is experiencing domestic violence...... - And the co-worker confides in you, encourage communication with the human resources manager and her/his supervisor. - And you witness an incident at work; contact your safety manager or law enforcement immediately. Make sure that the incident is documented. - Do not directly confront her/him. It is important for an individual to self-disclose for her/his own safety and well-being. - Express concern and a willingness to listen and be supportive. - Offer support by listening and assisting. When and individual is ready, she/he will confide.
- Be familiar with community resources and referrals. - Maintain confidentiality at all times. Be sensitive to the seriousness of the situation. - Be aware of unusual absences or behavior and take note of bruises or emotional distress. - Assist the employee in documenting all incidents with the batterer that occurred in the workplace. - Contact the Employee Assistance Program to discuss concerns, resources available and ways to support the employee (such as; developing a workplace safety plan and marshalling the resources of the department, including other employees, as part of the support system.) - Decide who should speak with the employee. Agree on all forms of communication (such as; providing the safety manager and receptionist with a photo if there is a risk of violence coming into the workplace.)
Action items for directors and senior management - Recognize that domestic violence can be a threat to everyone in the organization. - Understand the seriousness of the domestic violence problem. - Recognize the early warning signs of impending danger in other employees. - Provide training to employees to increase their awareness of domestic violence issues. - Impress upon employees and supervisors the necessity to act immediately when recognizing the early warning signs. - Understand the ‘Cycle of Violence' as it applies to domestic violence. - Acquaint employees and supervisors with some of the legal remedies that can be employed to combat domestic violence. - Acquaint employees and supervisors with criminal and civil law statutes relating to domestic violence. - Institute policies that require the disclosure of serious domestic violence by employees so that it can be addressed. - Acquaint employees and supervisors with resources that address domestic violence. - Take action against domestic violence by encouraging employees to volunteer at shelters and by providing financial or in-kind support to your local domestic violence programs.
If you know someone who is battering...... - And you are the employer, assist law enforcement officers to serve orders for protection, subpoenas, or other documents. - And he/she makes derogatory jokes about a partner or about battering, let the person know that you do not like it and why. - And the perpetrator is justifying violence or harassment because of something the victim did, point out that the perpetrator is the only one who is responsible for violent acts. Don't let the perpetrator get away with ‘victim-blaming', therefore minimizing or trivializing their violence. - Let the batterer know that domestic violence is a crime and that he/she could be prosecuted and sent to jail. - Let the perpetrator know that violence is not acceptable and that he/she can choose to stop it. - Interrupt verbal harassment. - Know that it is usually unsafe to intervene. Call the police if you see or hear acts of violence; it may save someone's life. - Support strong law enforcement intervention in cases of domestic violence. - Act as a witness to a crime. Don't defend a batterer to police, prosecutors or judges. - Do not ostracize the victim, nor ‘side' with the perpetrator. - Make strong statements against violence in your social and work circles. Advocate for full accountability by perpetrators, and for full restitution for victims.
Warning Signs of Abuse - Physical indicators such as bruises, which the employee may attempt to hide with makeup or clothing. The woman who claims to be clumsy or “accident-prone” may actually be trying to hide abuse. - Frequent sudden absences from work, one to three days at a time. Pay close attention to patterns of absenteeism: for example, sporadic time off without willingness to explain the absences, and physical indications (above). - The employee who is frequently late to work. - The employee who is pregnant and seems fearful or unhappy. Abuse often begins or escalates during pregnancy. - The employee who frequently mentions tension and stress at home and refers to her partner's anger or temper. She/he may display signs of being afraid of her partner. - Decreased productivity or inattentiveness. - The employee who has little or no access to resources such as money, credit cards, or a car. - The employee who is isolated from friends, relatives, and even co-workers, especially if this behavior starts after a relationship develops with a new partner. - The partner who always wants to be around the employee and tries to exclude others from having contact with them. The partner who projects an attitude of ownership and control of the employee.
If you know someone who is being battered.... Note: These examples assume that the person being battered is a woman, being battered by a man. While this is most often the case, men can be the victim of battering as well; in addition, battering does occur in same-sex relationships.
- Believe her, and keep what she tells you confidential. - Let her know she is not to blame for the abuse. She is not responsible for it and does not deserve it. - Take time to talk with her privately and ask about suspicious bruises or fights that you know about. She needs to tell her story in her own time and at her own pace. - Help her make safety plans for herself and her children. It could save their lives. - Validate her feelings. She may feel hurt, angry, afraid, ashamed, or trapped. She may love the abuser. - And you suspect that abuse is occurring at the moment, call 911. Assault is a crime. - Make strong statements against violence in your social circles and in support of victims building violence-free, autonomous lives. - Give her information about local resources. - Offer to assist her in keeping safe. If possible, let her stay with you. Or keep documents, money, and a packed suitcase for her. Or identify a code word that she can use to signal the need for you to call the police on her behalf. - Talk to her teenage/adult children, if appropriate, about what they are seeing and feeling. Help them make plans to be safe. Strategic Employer Responses to Domestic Violence Solutions for Small and Large Employers Is a workplace domestic violence policy really necessary? Anita, an employee who has worked for a financial services company for 17 years, dropped in Monday morning to talk with the Human Resource manager, Karen. Looking anxious and tired, Anita let Karen know that her ex-husband has been stalking her, noting, “He showed up at work this morning, just hanging out in the corner of the parking lot.” The restraining order that was supposed to keep him away had not stopped him from following and threatening her. Anita asked Karen if the company has a policy on allowing leave for people in this kind of danger. She noted that she's staying with friends to avoid him, but he appears determined to track her down. Anita is afraid that he may try to get into the office, endangering her and anyone else who gets in his way. Karen, the Human Resources manager, paged through the Employee Handbook and a collection of written policies on the shelf in her office and discovered that Anita's situation did not appear to fit any of the criteria for a leave. Karen is very concerned that if she doesn't take some action, there may be a risk for everyone in Anita's work area. What should she do? What options does she have? In this policy-filled world, it seems like there should be enough policies to address every personal or family-related issue there is – but in reality, very few workplace policies provide immediate, concrete answers about what actions to take when an employee is dealing with domestic abuse. Basic Business Reasons for Written Policy on Domestic ViolenceWorkplace Policy Resources Sample Text for Workplace Domestic Violence Policies Written policy on domestic violence makes good business sense, putting important tools in the hands of personnel managers. Domestic violence policy... • Gives proactive and practical direction to managers before they are faced with a complex, emotional and potentially dangerous situation. • Fills in the gaps between other policies that may fail to address the needs of employees affected by domestic violence and the managers responding to them. • Incorporates any state legislation related to victim rights' laws into your company's existing policies. • Outlines simple personnel practices that provide employers and employees with options for decreasing personal and workplace risks and liability, making the workplace a safer, more supportive environment. A Single Domestic Violence Policy or Policy Addenda? Many employers have implemented a comprehensive domestic violence policy, combining a set of policy concerns into one policy. An all-inclusive domestic violence policy may cover some or all of the content in the general policy statement and five specific policy areas discussed here. Others find that updating existing policies with new language specific to domestic violence is easier and just as effective. Review each of the policy areas below to assess whether your organization is already prepared to respond to these issues, or if new policy statements are needed. Sample policy statements are provided for each policy area. State Laws on Victims' Rights Review this link for lists of state laws related to domestic violence and other employment rights for victims of violence, to see if any of this legislation applies to your organization. Any new policy statements that you develop should incorporate these state requirements. Visit Legal Momentum for more information Domestic Violence Definitions for Policy StatementsIt may help to include the following written definitions, which are often used in policy or policy addenda on domestic violence. Definitions
Strategic Employer Responses to Domestic Violence Seven Reasons Employers Should Address Domestic Violence Domestic violence was a hidden concern that did not show up on the public's radar screen until relatively recently. Employers face numerous human resource concerns, with limited time and money. Often a decision to focus on a specific problem is not made until the problem becomes significant and costly. Historically, problems with a social stigma are less likely to receive attention, as both employers and employees may be reluctant to acknowledge that these problems exist. Domestic violence was a hidden concern that did not show up on the public's radar screen until relatively recently. Some employers are addressing it, but many more are not. The following are seven compelling reasons that employers should take action on this issue. Reason 1. Domestic violence affects many employees. • Nearly one-third of American women (31 percent) report being physically or sexually abused by a husband or boyfriend at some point in their lives. 1 • More than one million people report a violent assault by an intimate partner every year in the U.S. 2 • At least one million women and 371,000 men are victims of stalking in the U.S. each year. Stalkers often follow the victim to the workplace. 3 Reason 2. Domestic violence is a security and liability concern. • Ninety-four percent of corporate security directors surveyed rank domestic violence as a high security problem at their company. 4 • Employers who fail to protect their employees from violence at work may be liable. Jury awards for inadequate security suits average $1.2 million nationwide and settlements average $600,000. 5 • In the case of La Rose v. State Mutual Life Assurance Co. , Francesia La Rose's family filed a wrongful-death action against her employer when she was murdered by a former boyfriend at the work site. The employer paid a settlement of $850,000 for failing to protect her after being notified of a specific threat. 6 Reason 3. Domestic violence is a performance and productivity concern. • In one study of batterers, 41 percent had job performance problems and 48 percent had difficulty concentrating on the job as a result of their abusive behaviors. 7 • Thirty-seven percent of women who experienced domestic violence reported that the abuse had an impact on their work in the form of lateness, missed work, keeping a job, or career promotions. 8 • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the annual cost of lost productivity due to domestic violence equals $727.8 million, with more than 7.9 million paid workdays lost each year. 9 Reason 4. Domestic violence is a health care concern. • The national health care costs of domestic violence are high, with direct medical and mental health care services for victims amounting to nearly $4.1 billion. 10 • Among women admitted to an emergency room for violence-related injuries, 37 percent were abused by an intimate partner. 11 • In a study on the effects of violence, women who experienced any type of violence or abuse were significantly more likely to report being in “fair or poor” health, and were almost twice as likely to be coping with some form of depression. 12 Reason 5. Domestic violence is a management issue. • In a 2002 survey of senior corporate executives, 91 percent said that domestic violence affects both the private and working lives of their employees. 13 • In addition, more than half (56 percent) of those surveyed were aware of employees who have been affected by domestic violence. 14 • In a 1994 survey, 66 percent of executives said their companies' financial performance would benefit from addressing the issue of domestic violence among their employees. 15 Reason 6. Taking action in response to domestic violence works. • After participating in domestic violence training at a factory, the rate of employees asking for workplace counseling services for domestic abuse problems was 14 times what it had been prior to the training. 16 • When a sample group of 40 abused employees at the factory began using the domestic abuse counseling services, their average absence rate was higher than the factory's average absence rate. After using counseling services, the abused employees reduced their absenteeism rates to normal. 17 Reason 7. Employers can make a difference. • Numerous corporations, government agencies and domestic violence experts are already addressing domestic violence, with great success. You can make a difference in your workplace and in the lives of employees who are facing abuse! Notes 1 Collins, K., Schoen, C., Joseph, S, Duchon, L. Simantov, E. & Yellowitz, M. (1999). Health Concerns Across A Woman's Lifespan : The Commonwealth Fund. 1998 Survey of Women's Health.
in a peaceful way
DV Information/ Native American/ Legal Advocacy/ General Information
|