Workplace Violence Prevention

The term 'Workplace Violence'* incorporates an act of violence or threat of violence that occurs in a place of employment. This term includes but is not limited to the following:

1. The threat or use of physical force against an employee that results in, or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, psychological trauma, or stress regardless of whether the employee sustains an injury. 
2. An incident involving a threat or use of a firearm or other dangerous weapon, including the use of common objects as weapons regardless of whether the employee sustains an injury.
3. The following four workplace violence types:
   • Type 1 Violence: workplace violence committed by a person who has legitimate business at the worksite and includes violent acts by anyone who enters the workplace or approaches employees with the intent to commit a crime.
   • Type 2 Violence: workplace violence directed at employees by customers, clients, patients students, or visitors. 
   • Type 3 Violence: workplace violence against an employee by a present or former employee, supervisor, or manager.
   • Type 4 Violence: workplace violence committed in the workplace by a person who does not work there but has or is known to have a personal relationship with an employee.

*'Workplace Violence' does not include lawful acts of self-defense or defense of others.

As of July 1, 2024, all University employees will have access to workplace violence training, which outlines measures to prevent or mitigate workplace violence. Creating a work environment that minimizes negative feelings such as isolation, resentment, or hostility; recognizing performance or conduct that may represent warning signs; and intervening early is also important.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Though no workplace can be perceived as perfect by every employee, several measures can help foster a professional, healthy, and caring work environment. These include, but are not limited to:

1. Promote sincere, open, and timely communication among managers, employees, and union representatives.
2. Offer opportunities for professional development.
3. Support a family-friendly work environment.
4. Maintain mechanisms for complaints and concerns and allow them to be expressed in a non-judgmental forum that includes timely feedback to the initiator.
5. Promote "quality of life" issues such as facilities and job satisfaction.
6. Maintain impartial and consistent discipline for employees who exhibit improper conduct and poor performance.

PERFORMANCE/CONDUCT INDICATORS

Recognizing performance and/or conduct problems that may be warning signs of potential trouble is a good prevention strategy. These signs may show up in perpetrators of violence, those who are victims, and those involved in domestic violence. Although only one of these indicators may be present, it is more likely that a pattern will emerge or point to a change from past behavior.

Remember that the presence of any of these characteristics does not necessarily mean a violent act will follow. For example, they may be indicators of depression, another illness or injury, or grief.

Some examples of such performance and/or conduct indicators include:

• Attendance problems – excessive sick leave, excessive tardiness, leaving work early, improbable excuses for absences.
• Adverse impact on supervisor's time – supervisor spends an inordinate amount of time coaching and/or counseling employees about personal problems and/or counseling employees or dealing with co-worker concerns.
• Decreased productivity – making excessive mistakes, poor judgment, missed deadlines, wasting work time and materials.
• Inconsistent work patterns – alternating periods of high and low productivity and quality of work, inappropriate reactions, overreaction to criticism, and mood swings.
• Concentration problems – easily distracted and often has trouble recalling instructions, project details, and deadline requirements.
• Safety issues – more accident prone, disregard for personal safety as well as equipment and machinery safety, taking needless risks.
• Poor health and hygiene – marked changes in personal grooming habits.
• Unusual/changed behavior – inappropriate comments, threats, or reactions.
• Evidence of possible drug or alcohol use/abuse.
• Evidence of serious stress in the employee's personal life – crying, excessive phone calls, recent separation.
• Continual excuses/blame – inability to accept responsibility for even the most inconsequential errors.
• Unshakable depression – low energy, little enthusiasm, despair.

INTERVENTION AND ACTION

Early intervention may defuse the initial situation and allow the manager to thoroughly review options for resolution. Intervention sets the tone for how the situation will be resolved so any action should be taken only after seeking appropriate counsel.

Appropriate administrators and managers must be willing to act when necessary. All employees must know that violence in the workplace will not be tolerated and that appropriate action will be taken if acts or threats of violence occur.

In the event of a workplace violence emergency, the University will send alerts to members of the University community through its Timely Warning/Emergency Notification and/or Safety Bulletin process.

The University will ensure that members of the University community and authorized employee representatives have opportunities to participate in and communicate with those responsible for the WVPP regarding the following:

• Identifying, evaluating, and determining corrective measures (engineering or work practice controls) to prevent workplace violence.
• Designing and implementing any campus-specific training.
• Reporting workplace violence incidents.
• Reviewing post-incident investigations.