Copyright © 1995 Workplace Action Team of The Initiative for Violence-Free Families and Communities in Ramsey County
Table of Contents
Several years ago, companies were still debating whether or not domestic violence was a workplace issue. After all, weren't we supposed to stay out of employees' personal issues and stick to those that were job related? The statistics, of course, are staggering, but those things happen at other companies, not ours.
Fortunately, the debate is now over. Too many of us in all types of organizations have personally observed the ways domestic violence impacts each and every one of us. Whether those lessons were learned within our own organization or another we have read about, we've discovered it is happening all around us. No workplace is immune. The media has done a great job educating us about risks; that the workplace is frequently the only place the victim may be located by her partner; or that two out of three times, someone other than the intended target is injured.
When domestic violence occurs, the fear and anticipation of violence can significantly diminish the victim's ability to be productive. That fear also extends to co-workers and supervisors, who, because they work in close proximity to the victim, realize they could be in harm's way if a violent act occurs.
Imagine the fear when Mary's spouse threatens to kill her and then also threatens a co-worker who helped his spouse find a place to stay.
Imagine the fear when co-workers, who know Katy's former boyfriend carries weapons and does drugs, begin observing the boyfriend stalk and harass Katy at work.
Imagine the fear when an office romance begins to show signs of battering, and suddenly the victim has obtained a restraining order against the co-worker with whom she was having the relationship.
Imagine the fear when a jealous and violent spouse suspects his partner is having a relationship - perhaps with a co-worker.
These are real situations that serve to create fear in our employees and the risk of violence in our workplace.
Fear has a profound effect on all of us. It affects our ability to concentrate and be productive. But a victim's fear is particularly unique and profound. It is frequently misunderstood not only by males, but by other females who have had no similar personal experiences. As a result, a woman may be reluctant to report a threat or an attack. She may be unwilling to leave an abusive relationship because she fears her risk will increase. If the incident is reported at work, she may fear the loss of her job, or pressure from peers or her boss to take action which she is not yet ready to take. Or perhaps she fears the unknown - how the employer will react to a threat that may impact the workplace. The more effective a company is in creating an environment where a victim feels safe to report problems, the more successful it will be in learning about these types of risks before there are violent outcomes.
Addressing domestic violence in the workplace does not have to be accompanied by a large budget. Safety precautions may be as simple as allowing a victim to use flexible hours so her arrivals and departures are not predictable; providing a temporary cellular phone to increase her safety as she travels back and forth to work; temporarily transferring her to a different office site; or simply having emergency procedures in place in the event a situation escalates.
Every organization has an opportunity to make a difference by:
Taking a clear and loud stand on the side of preventing domestic violence at work and in our homes and communities.
Paying attention to warning signs of victims and prepetrators.
Being supportive of victims or co-workers who report threats.
Referring victims and co-workers to counseling agencies for help.
Creating an environment that encourages people to come forward with concerns.
Treating every situation seriously and taking actions that may reduce risk in the workplace.
Early detection of problems provides organizations an opportunity to reduce and manage risk. This workbook is a tool - a tool which can help you and your organization make a difference. It outlines steps you can take to help curtail domestic violence, for the good of your workplace, your employees, customers, and your community.
-Judi Nevonen, US Bancorp
According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health, homicide is the leading cause of death of women in the workplace.
Family violence falls into the categories of child abuse, partner/spousal abuse, sibling abuse, elder abuse and dating violence. It is a pattern of assaultive and coercive behaviors,including physical, sexual, psychological attacks, and economic coercion which result in causing hurt, fear, injury, suffering or death.
Currently, most instances of family violence in the workplace are in the form of partner abuse. Partner abuse, commonly referred to as Domestic Violence, is any behavior in a relationship that is used to gain or maintain control and power over an intimate partner.
Assaulting someone is a criminal offense. No one has the right to mistreat another person. This is particularly true if that person is a wife, husband, child, parent or live-in partner.
While all forms of family violence hold the potential for affecting the workplace, it is cases of domestic violence that most often spill into the work setting. While we encourage and support workplace efforts to prevent all forms of family violence, the pages that follow focus on efforts to help prevent cases of domestic violence among your employees, as well as steps to help identify and get help to victims and perpetrators of domestic violence within your workforce.
The effects of violence that take place at home are associated with many direct and indirect costs to the workplace such as decreased productivity, increased health care costs, absenteeism, errors, employee turnover, time spent coping with problems, and acts of physical violence in the workplace. More and more, business and labor are realizing the heavy toll that domestic violence takes in terms of productivity, morale and creativity. Recent estimates put the cost of violence in the home to American companies as high as $5 billion. Contrary to most employees' beliefs and attitudes, domestic violence does not disappear when men and women leave home and enter the workplace.
For example, did you know:
Nationally, medical expenses from domestic violence total at least $5 to $10 billion annually. Businesses forfeit another $100 million in lost wages, sick leave, absenteeism and non-productivity. (Source: Meyer, 1992 National Victim Center, Crime and Victimization Report, 1994)
Partners and boyfriends commit 13,000 acts of violence against women in the workplace every year. (Source: U.S. Department of Justice, 1994, as cited in United HealthCare Corporation's OPTUM Medical and Human Risk Management Services newsletter)
A poll of 100 senior executives concerning the impact of domestic violence conducted by Roper Starch Worldwide for Liz Claiborne, Inc., found:
49% said domestic violence has a negative impact on productivity;
47% said it negatively impacts attendance;
44% said that it increases health-care costs.
Two-thirds agreed that a company's financial performance would benefit from addressing the issue of domestic violence among its employees.
Each "minor" incident carries with it the potential for a more serious event. The purpose of addressing domestic violence in the workplace is to prevent potentially dangerous situations from causing more serious harm. Employers have a unique opportunity to prevent the potential of domestic violence spilling over into the workplace, as well as to provide tools and resources to employees that can help end the epidemic of violence in America's homes.
Not only does domestic violence affect the victim at his/her workplace, it affects co-workers. As the perceived danger increases for one employee, the level of distraction and fear for co-workers also increases.
Co-workers may:
Have to fill in for absent or non-productive workers.
Feel resentful of victims needing time off or receiving extra attention.
Try to "protect" victims from unwanted phone calls, visits, etc.
Be completely unaware of how to intervene, often feeling helpless and distracted from their work.
Fear for their own safety.
Hear and/or take part in gossip and rumors.
You are invited to be a leader in the workplace and community, to make a difference in the lives of individuals in the workplace and where they live. By making the choice to proactively address issues of domestic violence in your organization, you can:
Increase employee productivity and morale;
Create a powerful, positive impact in the community; and
Implement effective prevention and intervention strategies that save lives.
In the United States, 86% of corporate leaders agree that companies have responsibility for the general well-being of their employees.
(Source: Addressing Domestic Violence: A Corporate Response, Liz Claiborne, August 1994)
"There are a lot of things companies can do once they recognize this is a very serious problem. And they have to recognize that it isn't just a social and moral issue. It's a financial issue."
-Jerome Rossi, President & CEO of Marshalls, Inc.
Consider the following actions to begin preventing family violence through efforts in the workplace. The recommendations and resources that follow fall into five categories:
Work Culture and Environment Issues
Education
Policy and Procedures
Community Resources
What's Being Done by Other Employers (Appendix)
Review the overall work environment. At this time, does your work environment exacerbate or help to prevent the potential for domestic violence?
Create a Violence-Free Company Culture. Provide training for supervisors, including general awareness of domestic violence, as well as how to ask employees about their situation and how to appropriately respond.
Supervisors need to be as supportive and tactful as possible.
Example: "If you're having problems, or if you're feeling stressed, we have a place for you to get help."
Be aware of physical or behavioral changes in employees and consult with the Human Resource Department/Employee Assistance Program for advice.
It is the supervisor's role to be aware and supportive of employee needs, but not to diagnose whether the individual is living in an unsafe home situation.
Managers/supervisors must be respectful of employees' personal choices. If a manager or supervisor observes the signs and symptoms of violence, it is appropriate to convey concern and to educate the employee regarding resources available. They need to:
Be responsive when an employee who is either the survivor or the perpetrator of domestic violence asks for help.
Work with supervisors, Human Resources, the Employee Assistance Program, the legal department, union representatives, available security staff, law enforcement and community domestic violence programs if necessary, to develop a personal workplace safety plan for the victim/employee.(More detailed options are discussed below.)
Assess overall morale of employees.
Assess whether communication styles are open.
Assess management styles.
Assess employee safety/security issues.
Have corporate management speak out on the issue of domestic violence and all forms of violence, and provide a supportive environment for victims of violence. (Steps outlined below and in Policies and Procedures Sections.)
Take a clear and powerful stand for a violence-free workplace and provide resources and clear expectations for employees. (See recommended steps in Workplace Action Team Workbook and video.)
Use corporate publications and newsletters to educate employees on how abuse in the home affects the workplace. Possible topics include domestic violence prevention; positive parenting/child abuse prevention; conflict resolution, and elder abuse prevention. Avoid "zero tolerance" mentality, instead offering employees support and positive alternatives.
Consistent, sustained messages are the key. Awareness can help lead to cultural change! Place posters and brochures in employees' locker rooms, supervisors' offices, lunch rooms, women's and men's restrooms, providing phone numbers for employees to call for help if they're a victim or a friend of one, or if they are afraid they might hurt someone they care about.
Provide buttons, bumper stickers, T-shirts and mugs with clear violence prevention messages.
Create a safe and respectful environment for the victim/employees to come forward and share information.
Do you have a confidential environment for victim/employees to come forward and share information? Are your supervisors and managers trained to understand and address employee domestic violence issues?
Does your company have an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)?
Do you have a Workplace Violence Policy? Does it include a Domestic Violence Policy?
A recent poll by the National Safe Workplace Institute found the following results to some of the questions outlined above:
Are there explicit procedures for encouraging victims or potential victims to report threats of domestic violence?
64% said No.
Are there procedures for protecting potential victims of domestic violence?
61% said No.
-National Safe Workplace Institute's survey of 248 corporate security and safety directors in 27 states
Provide employee and management training programs
Provide awareness training for employees and managers about family violence to increase awareness and understanding.
Teach employees and managers to identify early warning signs of family violence and determine subsequent steps that may be appropriate.
Provide resources in the workplace for victims or potential victims, such as pamphlets and cards with local domestic violence program telephone numbers and community resources for potential perpetrators.
Teach employees and managers about resources in the workplace and/or local community services for victims and perpetrators of domestic violence.
Teach managers and supervisors how to respond to employees who may be experiencing violence at home.
Provide opportunities for employees to learn clear, respectful communication and conflict resolution skills.
Provide Preventive Education
Employers can help address other forms of family violence, in particular child abuse, by providing employees with information on healthy ways to parent, giving them tools and support to develop peaceful relationships with their children, and helping them to understand normal child behavior and developmental stages and nonviolent methods of discipline.
Provide information to male and female employees regarding community resources designed to build peaceful relationships; poll employees regarding their interest in bringing these resources onsite.
Develop a company policy statement regarding domestic violence that includes:
security measures
leave of absence
job security
confidentiality
safe work environment
This is one of the most crucial steps in creating an awareness within the organization that domestic violence is a serious problem that will not be ignored.
Key components of an effective Domestic Violence in the Workplace Policy include:
Providing a benefits package which is sensitive to the needs of employees and families.
Provide leave policies enabling employees experiencing domestic violence to go to court or access needed services.
Allow use of sick time for employees to care not only for their children, but parents or spouse as well. This will improve family relations for your employees, increasing their sense of well-being as well as worksite morale and dedication.
Improving security measures
Train security personnel on needs of domestic abuse victims.
Address stalking of employees. (See options listed below.)
Assess the process for how anyone (e.g. spouse, partner, friend all potentially domestic violence perpetrators) may be able to obtain an employee's whereabouts/phone number.
Provide security escorts as needed.
Change an employee's phone number and office location if s/he is being harassed by an ex-partner or spouse.
Providing EAP (Employee Assistance Program) services, confidential, short-term counseling and referral services for employees and their family members.
Make sure program counselors have specific training in the area of domestic and family violence.
Encourage employees to use your Employee Assistance Program to begin to address domestic violence issues in the workplace.
Make sure your employees know services are confidential.
In instances where you learn that an employee is currently experiencing domestic violence in her/his life, including being stalked, please consider the following steps:
Relocate the workstation of threatened employees.
Alter employee work schedules.
Provide photographs of stalkers/perpetrators to receptionists and security personnel.
Encourage law enforcement to enforce restraining orders.
If threats are acute, provide employee with leave(s) of absence.
Limit information about employees that is disclosed by phone. Information that would help locate possible victims or which indicates what time s/he will return should not be provided. (This is an appropriate policy to have in place at all times for all employees.)
Provide the victim with the time off s/he may need to go to court, seek shelter or connect with other resources.
Remind the employee of any safety measures that are available to and from her/his car.
Obtain a picture of the partner or, at a minimum, a description. Obtain identifying personal information about the partner (i.e., date of birth, Social Security number, etc.) and a copy of any restraining order. This information is crucial if a situation escalates and a sudden call to the police is necessary. A picture will help alert security guards or receptionists if the partner tries to gain access to the worksite.
Discuss the feasibility of other actions with Human Resources such as:
fluctuating work hours
leave of absence
providing a temporary cellular phone for emergency calls
relocating the employee to another worksite
on-site security guards
Please note that these measures can enhance the safety of the employee/victim as well as other employees and customers who could potentially be affected by incidents of family violence spilling over into your workplace.
"As an HR person, I have a responsibility to the organization to provide a staff that's productive. But I also feel a certain ethical and moral responsibility to my employees to give them an environment in which they can be productive. I can't really control their environment outside the workplace, but I can make them aware of the resources that they may want to use."
-Personnel Journal, April 1995, James Carabetta, Director of Human Resources at Wallingford, Connecticut-based Fosdick Corp., which employs 600 people.
Domestic violence presents unique and complex challenges to your workplace. In order to anticipate and prevent potentially serious situations from becoming harmful to all employees, you will need tools and resources. It is not solely your responsibility to resolve and intervene in the problem of domestic violence. Throughout the Twin Cities, schools, faith communities, neighborhood organizations, government and other institutions are working together toward the prevention of domestic violence and support for people who are experiencing it. Your responsibility is to ensure appropriate workplace responses and resources. In addition to the internal policies and services listed in previous sections, you can also link your employees to existing community resources:
work with local law enforcement
establish a relationship with domestic violence service agencies in the community
make available a list of community resources for:
advocacy services
shelters
legal services
family and children services
parenting education
child abuse prevention
counseling services
social services/child protection agencies
EAP (information, support and referrals)
Note that while these suggestions are helpful, the most important thing to remember is that employees need to know they can use these services without their job being in jeopardy and that they can trust their employer. Fostering a work environment that exhibits trust and open communication is key to ensuring employees will be able to approach their supervisor and ask for assistance.
Jennifer T. Go, University of Minnesota, School of Public Health, for drafting the "Interrupting the Cycle of Violence" section of the Workbook and Resource Guide.
Lou Powell and Cindy Anderson, Women's Advocates; Jerry Jensen, Domestic Abuse Project; Judi Nevonen, First Bank/U.S. Bancorp; Joan Bilinkoff, Health Partners; and Workplace Action Team members for their support and content in the production of this section.
Mary Elizabeth Berglund, Saint Paul, Ramsey County Department of Public Health for coordinating this effort.
Here's What's Being Done
Polaroid Corporation: Cambridge, Massachusetts-based imaging business
Donates $42,000 annually to women's shelters.
Developed a relationship with a counseling group for batterers and began funding and referring men.
Trains EAP staff to improve its counseling proficiency in regard to family violence.
Personnel policies evolved to accommodate women who needed time off to attend court, find new housing, and to seek safety. Flex-work hours, short-term paid leaves and extended unpaid leaves with guarantees of the same position upon return were designed.
Liz Claiborne: New York City-based clothiers
Began a Domestic Violence Public Service campaign called "Women's Work".
Researched the issue of domestic violence and developed media public-awareness campaign about domestic violence.
Offers treatment and support through an EAP to employees who experience violence in their homes.
Instituted a series of family-stress seminars.
"It is widely known that stress within the family can affect productivity in the workplace."Wendy Banks, Senior V.P. for Marketing, Liz Claiborne
Marshalls: Andover, Massachusetts-based retailer
Raises money to donate to San Francisco-based Family Violence Prevention Fund, a national, non-profit organization, focused on domestic violence education and public-policy reform.
Ramsey/Hennepin Initiatives Workplace Action Team: Twin Cities, Minnesota
Addresses family violence by:
Conducting awareness training on the prevention of domestic violence and child abuse for employees
Providing local resources to assist employees on issues of family violence in their lives
Developing a workplace violence policy which explicitly mentions support for victims of family violence
Health Partners: Minneapolis, Minnesota-based Health Maintenance Organization
Joan Bilinkoff, Advisor to the Family Violence Prevention Program/Center for Health Promotion conducts educational seminars for staff in supervisory positions on topics such as "Could it be domestic violence?" and "What to do if you suspect your supervisee is being abused at home."
Places posters in men's and women's staff and patient bathrooms addressing family violence, offering resources for victims and resources for perpetrators
Ramsey County: Saint Paul, Minnesota
Conducted Family Violence Awareness training for all employees.
Has a Workplace Violence Policy in place that refers to supporting employees who experience violence.
Raised issue of violence when sending Requests for Proposals for health care providers.
Public health department conducted training on family violence.
Hill, Holliday Connors, Cosmopulos (HHCC). Inc.: Boston-based advertising agency
An excerpt from Personnel Journal, April 1995, tells HHCC's success story:
Melissa Morbeck is an advocate for increasing awareness of and prevention of domestic violence. She's active in any way she can be in getting the word out and ensuring that victims aren't ignored. She wouldn't have the self-confidence to do these things if it weren't for a company that helped her through her trauma to rebuild her life. HHCC gave Morbeck a job when she most desperately needed one. They paid her expenses and gave her time off to take care of the legal issues surrounding her divorce. But more than that, the company, by virtue of its culture of caring for people and building relationships, helped her regain her self-esteem:
"The company gave me the opportunity to rebuild my self-esteem by extending compassion, not pity, and accountability for my job. I truly credit HHCC with the role it played in saving my life. HHCC helped me stand and walk toward life when I didn't think I was capable. That is the greatest impact a company can have in altering the life of a victim, of an employee."
First Bank System/U.S. Bancorp
Conducted a Domestic Violence Campaign which provided all employees with information and resources to assist with domestic violence concerns.
Provides tools to managers to assist them in assessing and managing the risks of domestic violence.
Provides an Employee Assistance Program to all employees which, in addition to counseling, refers employees to local and national domestic violence resources.
Identifies actions which support victims of domestic violence. Appropriate actions are determined on a case-by-case basis and may include flexible hours so the victim may deviate from their normal routine; a leave of absence; a temporary transfer to another job location; temporary use of a cellular phone; escort service to bank parking lots; a change in business phone numbers, etc.
If there is an emergency, dial 911.
Local (Minnesota)
Metro Crisis Line: 1-800-289-6177
Metro Crisis Line: 1-612-646-6177
Crisis Connections: 1-612-379-6363
St. Paul Domestic Abuse: 1-612-645-2824
United Way First Call For Help: 1-612-335-5000
Parents Anonymous: 1-612-487-2111
Emergency Care for Children-Minneapolis Crisis Nursery: 1-612-824-8000
Workplace Action Team: 1-612-266-2404
Men's Line: 1-612-379-MENS(6367) (24 hr. crisis prevention resource for men and boys)
24-Hour Crisis Line for Women 1-612-646-0994
Other Numbers:
Ramsey County Domestic Abuse 1-612-266-2800 (for orders of Protection)
St. Paul City Attorney 1-612-266-8740
Sexual Offense Services (SOS) 1-612-298-5898
Emergency Social Services 1-612-291-6795 (for emergency housing after 5 p.m.)
National
Family Violence Prevention Fund to Stop Domestic Violence 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
Crime Victims 24-hour Referral Services 1-800-247-0390
Elder Abuse Senior Linkage Line 1-800-333-2433
Internet/World Wide Web
Domestic Violence in the Workplace: http://www.igc.apc.org/fund/workplace/
Minnesota Center Against Violence and Abuse: http://www.mincava.umn.edu/workviol.asp
Table 1. Resources
| Shelters | Location | Business Phone | Crisis Phone | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandra House | Blaine | 780-2332 | 780-2330 | Provides shelters, support groups, 24-hr. help line |
| Lewis House | Eagan | 452-7466 | 452-7288 | Provides shelter, support |
| Lewis House | Hastings | 651-437-1291 | - | Provides shelter, support groups, advocacy, 24-hr. help line |
| Casa De Esperanza | St. Paul | 772-1723 | 772-1611 | Bilingual Spanish speaking staff and programs. Provides shelter, support groups, advocacy, 24-hr. help line |
| Cornerstone Advocacy Service | Bloomington | 884-0376, 884-9543 | 884-0330 | Provides shelter, support groups, advocacy, 24-hr. help line |
| Eagle's Nest/Women of Nations | St. Paul | 222-5830 | 222-5836 | For Native American abused women. Provides shelter, support groups, advocacy, 24-hr. help line |
| Family Violence Network | Lake Elmo | 770-8544, TDD 490-5979 | 770-0777, TDD 490-5979 | Provides shelter, support groups, advocacy, 24-hr help line |
| Harriet Tubman Shelter | Minneapolis | 827-6105 | 827-2841 | Provides shelter, support groups, advocacy, 24-hr. help line |
| Hill Home | Lake Elmo | 490-5979 | 770-0777 | Provides shelter, support |
| Marilyn Brady House | Rochester | 1-507-285-1010 | 1-507-285-1010 | Provides shelter, advocacy, support |
| Sojourner | Minnetonka | 933-7422 | - | Provides shelter, support groups, advocacy, 24-hr. help line |
| Southern Vally Alliance | Belle Plaine | 873-4214 | - | Provides shelter, support groups, advocacy, 24-hr. help line |
| Woman House | St. Cloud | 1-320-253-6900 | 1-800-950-2203, 1-320-252-1603 | Provides shelter |
| Women's Advocates | St. Paul | 227-9966 | 227-8284 | Provides shelter, support groups, advocacy, 24-hr. help line |
Table 2. Resources
| Other Resources | Location | Business Phone | Crisis Phone | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIHA (Black, Indian, Hispanic and Asian) | Minneapolis | 870-1193 | - | Information and referral for abused women of color |
| Citizen's Council Victim's Services | Minneapolis | 348-7874 | 340-5400 | - |
| Coalition Against Domestic Violence | Wisconsin | 1-608-255-0539 | - | - |
| Community University Health Care Center | Minneapolis | 627-4774 | 627-4774 | Services for SE Asian Battered Women |
| Domestic Abuse Office | Ramsey County | 266-2803 | - | - |
| Domestic Abuse Project | Minneapolis | 874-7063 | 874-7063 | Community intervention and education, therapy, support |
| Domestic Violence Program-Gay and Lesbian Community Action Council | Minneapolis | 822-0127, statewide: 1-800-800-0350 | 822-0661 | Provides information, support, and advocacy for same-sex partner abuse |
| Eastside Neighborhood Services | Minneapolis | 781-6011 | - | - |
| Education for Cooperative Living | Minneapolis | 521-3646 | - | - |
| Family and Children's Services | Minneapolis | 339-9101 | - | - |
| Family Services | St. Paul | 222-0311 | - | - |
| Family Violence Program/Division of Indian Work | Minneapolis | 827-1795 | 827-1795 | - |
| Family Violence Network | Suburban Ramsey County | 770-8544 | - | Provides community intervention, education, therapy, support |
| Father's Resource Center | Minneapolis/St. Paul | 874-1509, 290-4709 | - | - |
| IBCA Battered Women's Program | Minneapolis | 871-7878 | - | African-American family services |
| Men's Center | - | 822-5892 | - | - |
| Men's Support Group | - | 379-6363 | - | - |
| Methodist Hosptial AdvoCare Program | Minneapolis | 939-8656 | - | - |
| MN Coalition of Battered Women | St. Paul | 646-0994 | - | Community education, resource library, provides advocacy for victims of abuse |
| Project P.E.A.C.E. | Brooklyn Center, Robbinsdale, Maple Grove | 533-0733 | 536-1850 | Provides advocacy, intervention, support groups |
| St. Paul Domestic Abuse Intervention Project | St. Paul | 645-2824 | - | Support groups, advocacy, 24-hr. help line |
| Unity/Waite House | Minneapolis | 721-1681 | 529-9267 | Provides advocacy, GEC, job banks, child care, legal services |
| Wilder Community Assistance | St. Paul | 221-0048 | 221-0048 | - |
| Wilder Domestic Abuse Program | Blaine | 783-4583 | - | - |
| WomanKind | Burnsville, Edina, Minneapolis | 892-2500, 924-5775, 672-2700 | - | Provides 24-hr. help line, advocacy, education, consultation, volunteer program, support |
Serious violence at the workplace may be prevented by paying attention to the signs of domestic violence when they first appear.
A victim of domestic violence may not show any of these signs, and, taken individually, each one of these signs may apply to every employee on a given day. These indicators should be examined as a whole and provide a frame-work to assess the extent to which a problem may exist.
Is the employee uncharacteristically late (either in time or frequency) without adequate explanation?
Is the employee uncharacteristically absent?
Does it appear that the employee is living in her car, or not at home?
Is the employee uncharacteristically moody, depressed, anxious, distracted?
Is there a change in work performance?
Is the employee suddenly dressing differently or inappropriately (i.e. to possibly camouflage injuries/bruises)?
Is the employee suddenly wearing an unusual amount of makeup on her face?
Is the employee bruised or injured?
Is the employee bruised or injured after an unexplained absence?
Does the employee appear to be frightened when the telephone rings?
Is the employee receiving an unusual number of telephone calls or faxes?
Is the employee refusing to take telephone calls or faxes?
Is the employee refusing to take telephone calls or faxes from one particular caller?
Is a caller asking for "locating" information about the employee?
Is the employee staying inside the office, avoiding going out for lunch or socializing outside of work?
Are you aware that the employee is in the process of ending an intimate relationship?
Has the employee recently told you that she has to go to court?
Has the employee recently been the victim of vandalism or threats at the workplace?
Have there been disruptive visits or interrupting contacts at work?
Once you determine there are signs of domestic violence, it is helpful to ascertain the type of situation you may be dealing with. There are a number of questions that will need to be answered, and the first step is to gather information. The best source of information is the victim - the employee. In domestic violence situations, the victim is an essential part of developing a plan for keeping the workplace safe.
How long has there been a problem?
Has the abuse increased in frequency and/or intensity recently?
Have there been specific threats made?
What is the nature of the threats?
How are the threats being communicated?
Does the partner know where the employee currently lives?
Does the partner know the employee's work schedule?
Is the partner familiar with the employee's work location?
Has the partner appeared at work recently, been observed watching the worksite, or attempted contact or entrance to the worksite?
Has the partner recently vandalized any property at or near the workplace to let the victim know he was there (i.e. car damage)?
Is the partner angry, upset or suspicious of any other employees? Have any threatening refusing comments been made about other employees?
Does the partner have a history of violence?
Has the partner been abusing or killing animals or family pets?
Does the partner have access to guns/weapons? Was there any recent purchase of a gun?
Are there any substance abuse issues? Has the amount of substance abuse increased?
Is the partner showing signs of depression or are there other mental health issues?
Is the partner experiencing other forms of stress such as recent job loss, legal or financial problems?
Is there a restraining order in place? Does it apply to the workplace?
Have police reports been filed?
