2006 Sacramento County Healthcare Domestic Violence Network

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What Employers Should Know about Domestic Violence

Created by

Healthcare Domestic Violence Network

of Sacramento County

2006 Sacramento County Healthcare Domestic Violence Network

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Learning Objectives

Describe how the workplace is impacted by domestic violence

List legal rights and protections for victims that employers must know

List strategies for employers to protect both victims and non-victims in the workplace

Know the National Domestic Violence Hotline number: 1-800-799-SAFE

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What is Domestic Violence

Actual or threatened physical or sexual violence or psychological and emotional abuse directed toward a spouse, ex-spouse, current or former boyfriend, or girlfriend, or current or former dating partner. (Saltzman, 1999)

Partners can be heterosexual or homosexual The preferred health term recommended by

the CDC is “Intimate Partner Violence” and can, generally, be used interchangeably with the term “domestic violence.”

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Domestic Violence in the Workplace

36-75% of employed intimate partner victims were bothered by their partners while at work (Shepard, 1988; Swanberg, 2005, Taylor, 2004)

An average of 18,000 people were assaulted by an intimate partner at work each year (National Crime Victimization Survey, 1992-1996)

Women were 5 times more likely than men to be attacked at work by a current or former intimate partner (Bachman, 1994)

Nearly 20% of all women fatally injured in the workplace were killed by an intimate partner (Brownell, 1996)

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Workplace Interference Tactics

Work Disruption: actions that prevent the victim from reaching work Depriving the victim of sleep Refusing to care for children Hiding or destroying clothing, keys or work materials Inflicting physical injury

Work Stalking: unwelcome and repeated harassing or threatening behavior Following or showing up at work Leaving messages or objects Vandalizing victim’s property

Swanberg, 2005

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In their own words . . .

“One time he left a gift box on the hood of the truck. I opened it and it was my cat, dead. The note said I would be next if I talked to anyone at work.”

“He shows up right before I go to work . . . He’d keep me from getting into the car . . . Sometimes he’d take my keys, put some fake keys in their place so you can’t get in or out of the house or drive the car. Now, I have four different sets of keys.”

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Impact on Productivity Increased Absenteeism

Physical abuse victims miss an average of 3 days per month 46% of victims have gone home sick due to stress of

victimization Reduced efficiency

71% report difficulty concentrating while at work 63% say they are unable to perform the job to the best of

their abilities Increased tardiness Use of pain medication for physical injuries

Increase in Job loss/Turnover rate 5-27% of victims report job loss as a direct result of IPV Reasons: shame, fear, child care issues or forced by

abuser to resign

Swanberg, 2005

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Costs to the Employer due to:

Security needs Worker’s Compensation Legal fees/Liability issues Decreased productivity Damaged property Secondary victims are traumatized or harmed Administrative/human resources

Swanberg, 2005

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The Bottom Line

Employers spend about $3-5 billion annually to deal with the ramifications of IPV in the workplace

And that’s just for the cases we know about . . .

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In their own words . . .

“He would call and I wasn’t allowed to have personal phone calls so he’d get angry with that . . . He’d eventually come out to work, the last time he showed up at work he dragged me out of work. My employer go tired of it and fired me.”

“He would show up at my work and just the sight of him would tear me all to pieces. My manager did ask me one time what’s going on with you and your man friend? I eventually quit because he would not stop coming to my job, I felt too ashamed.”

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Victim Level Consequences

Inconsistent work histories More likely to have been unemployed in past Higher rates of welfare receipt

Underemployment Reduced actual and potential earnings Loss of employer provided health insurance Increased financial dependence on abuser Partner violence may depress socioeconomic

status and occupational attainment over time

Swanberg, 2005

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Addressing DV in the Workplace

Women as a vital role in the workforce

OSHA standards

Legal protections

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Women in the Workforce

Women comprise 47% of the workforce (US Dept of Labor, 2004)

Organizations that consider employees’ family concerns when making workplace policy reap positive results (Bond, 1998)

Long known that work can impact the family and family can impact work. (Frone, 1994; Tenbrunsel, 1995)

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OSHA Regulations

Protect employees from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious harm

Do everything reasonably necessary to protect the life, safety and health of employees

If organization aware of danger and does nothing to prevent it, can be fined between $25,000 to $75,000 which is separate from the civil and possibly criminal liabilities

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Legal Protections for Victims

Eligibility for Unemployment Compensation: DV victims who must leave their jobs to protect their safety or that of their children are still eligible for unemployment benefits.

Job-Guaranteed time off to attend DV related court hearings or to receive DV related services: Employer is prohibited from discharging, threatening, demoting, suspending, retaliating or discriminating in any way. Employer is required to maintain the confidentiality of the employee.

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How employers can help with Domestic Violence

Prevent

Protect

Intervene

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Who do victims tell at work

66% of victims tell someone at work Immediate supervisor (59%) Co-worker (46%) Another supervisor (6%) Human resource professional (1%)

Victims don’t disclose because They consider IPV to be a personal issue Feel embarrassed or ashamed Do not believe people at work can be trusted Fear of losing job or other negative consequences Partner works in same workplace

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Employer Action - Prevention

DV education programs for supervisors DV education programs to encourage

disclosure DV education programs for employees in

case they become aware of a peer who is being victimized

DV education programs for

security personnel

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Employer Action - Protection

Leave time without penalty for court appointments Workplace transfers Alter work schedules to confuse abuser Workplace Restraining orders Provide a cell phone Provide legal assistance Phone call screening mechanism Security cameras Escorts to vehicle Priority parking near building Enhanced parking lot lighting

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Employer Action - Intervention

Employee Assistance Program staffed by persons trained in DV On site counseling services (for victims but also for employees

who appear verbally abusive or have histories of using threats, coercion or force or violence as a means of resolving conflict)

Occupational health screening for violence and abuse Referral to DV programs in community Safety Planning and Danger Assessment done for the

workplace Emergency funds and a strategy for crisis situations Post National Domestic Violence

Hotline 1-800-799-SAFE throughout the work site

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In their own words . . .

“I was really afraid after what I had gone through that if they downsized anybody I was going to be out of there. I told them about the EPO . . .my boss was great . . .they transferred me to another location. . . and I felt much safer.”

“The reason I really liked the job was because I worked for a woman that I could talk to. She would say well, you know we really want to keep you and I understand what you’ve been going through. . . that’s why I worked with her so long.”

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For further information or to help decrease Domestic Violence . . . Come to a meeting of the Health Providers Domestic Violence

Network. Meetings are the second Thursday of every month (from 8 -10 am) at the Sierra Sacramento Valley Medical Society on 1530 Elvas in Sacramento.

Ask Dr. Connie Mitchell, principal author of this presentation, at cmitchellmd@sbcglobal.net

Call WEAVE in Sacramento (24 hours a day) at 916-920-2952 Contact National Workplace Resource Center on Domestic

Violence at www.fvpf.org Call National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE Schedule a training from Blue Shield Against Violence by calling

1-415-229-5861