A
FEW WORDS FOR SUPERVISORS
DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE – What is your response?
Is domestic violence spilling over into your workplace? If it is not yet, it
will be soon. How?
- Some employees have restraining
orders against a partner or ex-partners.
- Some employees are
being stalked at work by a partner or ex-partner.
- At times, employees
have to take time off to go to a shelter to escape an abusive partner.
- There are employees
who are physically assaulted by a partner or ex-partner at the work site.
- Employees sometimes
lose their jobs due to performance, attendance or other problems related
to abuse.
- There are cases of
abuse involving two individuals who work for the same company.
How is domestic abuse affecting the work life of these employees? More than
half in a recent study report
- Severe morale problems
- Moderate to severe
absenteeism
- Moderate to severe
productivity loss
- Moderate to severe
turnover
- Moderate diminished
work quality
- Severe increase in
health costs
- Moderate decrease in
teamwork
How should companies respond to this increasing problem?
- Make outreach and
education materials on domestic violence available to employees.
- Train supervisors and
managers in recognizing signs of partner abuse in employees.
- Train at least the
highly visible employees in dealing with violence.
- Create written
policies or guidelines that address domestic violence.
- Use leave of absence,
medical leaves, short-term disability policies to assist abused employees.
- Regularly refer
employees with domestic violence to the EAP.
- Use the mandatory
referral to the EAP when work performance is a problem.
Check out www.EACenter.org resources page link to The Women’s Center for
more information on domestic violence.
