|
Domestic Violence and the Work Place
Men
and women spend more and more of their daily lives in
the workplace. Domestic violence is a workplace issue
which affects the safety, health, and productivity of
America's workers. Business and labor leaders have identified
several strategies that can be used to create safer
and more supportive workplaces.
Start
with the Top and Get Corporate Leadership on Board.
Encourage CEOs or the management team to establish a
workplace which is intolerant of domestic violence and
aids a victim to obtaining assistance and protection.
Establish
Employee Policies that Meet the Needs of Victims of
Domestic Violence. Work with your management and
unions to develop and negotiate paid leave and benefit
policies which recognize and are responsive to the particular
needs of your employees who are victims of domestic
violence.
Ensure
Employee Assistance Programs are Responsive to Victims
of Domestic Violence. Determine whether your company's
employee assistance program (EAP) includes domestic
violence services or referrals. If it does not, speak
with your human resources director or the appropriate
manager about the possibility of expanding the program
to address the needs of employees facing violence in
their homes. All EAP personnel should receive domestic
violence training and have an understanding of the dynamics
of domestic violence.
Provide
Management with the Tools to Respond to Domestic Violence.
Establish a training program for all supervisors and
managers at your workplace to give them guidance on
how to respond when an employee is a victim or perpetrator
of domestic violence.
Educate
Employees About Domestic Violence. Sponsor a workshop
or series of workshops at your workplace on domestic
violence. Invite a domestic violence survivor to speak
about her experiences and to discuss the impact of violence
on her life and her work.
Share
Materials About Domestic Violence. Distribute educational
materials about domestic violence to all employees in
your workplace and display posters and brochures in
public places which explain the issue. Send the message
that there is no excuse for domestic violence. Make
victim safety information available in private places
such as restrooms or in paycheck envelopes. All information
should include the National Domestic Violence Hotline
number, 1-800-799-SAFE(7233) or 1-800-787-3224(TDD).
Increase
Safety At the Workplace. Find out whether security
guards at your workplace have been trained to handle
the special safety needs of battered women, who may
be stalked at work. If they have not, speak with the
appropriate manager to arrange training and help security
personnel develop safety procedures.
Coordinate
with Local Law Enforcement. Arrange a meeting between
security personnel at your workplace and local law enforcement
agencies to facilitate appropriate information sharing
and the development of collaborative working relationships.
Join
in Local Community Efforts to Combat Domestic Violence.
Conduct a drive in your workplace to collect items for
local domestic violence shelters. Be sure to contact
the programs first to find out what they want, but common
needs for shelters are toys, clothing, furniture, office
equipment, office supplies and food. Alternatively,
make a contribution of company products.
Donate
Time and Resources. Adopt a local domestic violence
shelter by collecting money from coworkers for a joint
donation or getting a group of coworkers to make a commitment
of volunteer hours. For example, raise money to pay
for a new roof for a shelter; organize groups of volunteers
to paint a shelter, do yard work around the shelter,
assist with a special event, or provide other specialized
skills.
If
the legal or judicial system failed to protect you or
a family member
from abuse Please Contact:
Amnesty
International & The
United Nations
Contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at:
1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or TTY 1-800-787-3224
|
