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Purpose
- To help employees and supervisors prevent workplace violence and, if necessary, respond to violence that may occur in the workplace
- To assign responsibilities for the implementation of the City’s Violence in the Workplace Policy
Workplace Violence Prevention
Supervisors, in consultation with their Human Resources Consultant, may take the following actions to reduce the risks associated with workplace violence.
- Act to understand and, where appropriate, improve workplace security.
- Encourage and work with employees to resolve job stress, drug or alcohol issues, or other problems affecting work performance.
- Administer personnel policies and procedures consistently to avoid feelings of unfair treatment; handle performance counseling and terminations professionally; and resolve conflicts in the early stages.
Responding to workplace violence
♦ Fear of physical retribution/verbal threats of physical violence
Relationships between employees, or between an employee and a supervisor, may result in strong negative feelings by the individuals involved. Any employee involved in situations where there is fear of physical retribution, or where someone has made verbal threats of physical violence, should:
- Immediately notify the appropriate supervisor or the department/division director for resolution. Employees have the discretion of reporting such circumstances to the Director of Human Resources or City Attorney where there is a need for confidentiality.
- If there is a threat of immediate danger notify building security or the Police Department (call 9-1-1).
♦ Customer/citizen situations
City employees should not be subject to continuous verbal abuse or threatening behavior by a customer/citizen. An employee in such circumstances should:
- Ask the customer/citizen to refrain from the threatening behavior and/or abusive language.
- If the behavior/language continues, request intervention from the immediate supervisor.
- In all cases, if there is a threat of immediate danger contact building security or the Police Department (call 9-1-1).
♦ Personal Protective orders
City employees may be involved in personal, non-criminal disputes with family members, neighbors or others. In certain circumstances employees may secure restraining orders or other protective orders from courts. Employees requesting such orders should consult with the City Attorney before including their work location in the order. In will be the employee’s responsibility to inform the department/division director of the issuance of an order where the work location is specified, and provide a description of the individual cited in the order. In circumstances where the subject of the order appears at the work location:
- The employee will notify the department/division director or immediate supervisor.
- The director or immediate supervisor will request the individual to leave the work location.
- In all cases, the employee or supervisor may call 9-1-1 for Police Department assistance without interacting with the individual, if deemed prudent.
Supervisor actions in dealing with workplace violence
An employee may be relieved from duty and ordered to leave the work site if the supervisor believes the employee’s behavior has potential for violence. The Police Department or building security should be called if the employee refuses to leave or there is a threat of immediate danger. The supervisor should use no physical force, except in self-defense.
Employees removed from the workplace will be placed on paid administrative leave pending further action. Before taking further action, the department/division director should make a threat assessment in consultation with their Human Resources Consultant and the City Attorney.
After an appropriate investigation, options available to the department/division director include legal action, administrative discipline, fitness-for-duty evaluations, and/or referral to EAP.
Responsibilities
- The Director of Human Resources shall assure effective implementation of the Violence in the Workplace Policy, including:
- advising department directors and division managers, as appropriate,
- through the Human Resource Consultants, training of supervisors; and
- informing new employees about the City’s Violence in the Workplace Policy, and how to report violent, abusive or threatening behavior.
- Department heads shall regularly review, in the departments:
- physical security; and
- supervisor training in preventing and responding to violent, abusive or threatening behavior.
- Supervisors shall:
- become trained in recognizing, responding to, and reporting workplace violence;
- assure employees know how to report violent, abusive, and threatening behavior; and
- take timely, appropriate, and effective disciplinary action against employees threatening violence.
- Employees shall report violent, abusive, or threatening behavior.
CURRENT REFERENCES: Violence in the Workplace Policy, 3.02.07