Workplace Violence Prevention Tips

As the country attempts to recover from the tragedy last week in Parkland, FL, employers should take a step back and recognize the world in which we currently live and realize that violence is prevalent.

According to OSHA, an average of nearly 2 million American workers report having been a victim of violence at work. HR must ensure that workers know how to stay safe in the face of a threat.

Types of workplace violence

The FBI breaks down the types of workplace violence into four different categories:

1. Violent acts by criminals who have no other connection with the workplace, but enter to commit robbery or another crime.
2. Violence directed at employees by customers, clients, patients, students, inmates, or any others for whom an organization provides services.
3. Violence against coworkers, supervisors, or managers by a present or former employee.
4. Violence committed in the workplace by someone who doesn’t work there, but has a personal relationship with an employee—an abusive spouse or domestic partner.

Employers have an important role in preventing workplace violence. There are many different strategies employers can use to prevent violence, including the ones below compiled from the FBI, SHRM and Business Management Daily.

Strategies

1. Adopt a formal workplace violence policy and prevention program and communicate it to employees.
2. Have managers take an active role in employee awareness of the plan; make sure they are alert to warning signs and know how to respond.
3. Provide regular workplace violence and bullying prevention training for all employees (both new and current), supervisors and managers.
4. Foster a climate of trust and respect among workers and between employees and management; eradicate a bad culture of bullying or harassment.
5. Look out for and stake steps to reduce negativity and stress in the workplace, which can precipitate problematic behavior.
6. Identify and screen out potentially violent individuals before hiring while maintaining compliance with privacy protections and antidiscrimination laws.
7. Establish procedures and avenues for employees to report threats, other violence or if there’s imminent danger.
8. Start a mediation program to resolve employee disputes rather than letting them simmer.
9. Document any threats and your response to them including terminating employees who make a threat.
10. Terminate employees with care and caution by involving witnesses or security for violent employees.
11. Evaluate security systems regularly including alarms, ID keys, passcodes, cameras and personnel.
12. Make sure employees know not to hold open secure access doors for others who don’t have credentials.
13. Ensure employees with restraining or protective orders against an individual provide that person’s information and photo to security.

Training

Training employees how to keep themselves safe in a dangerous situation is an important piece of the puzzle. While some employees may not feel comfortable with this training, it is essential not to turn a blind eye to potential risks.

Most experts recommend teaching people to run, hide or fight—in that ideal order. Role-playing can also help people prepare for how they might respond by exposing them, in a safe environment, to what may take place in a time of crisis.

Managers should take an active role in ensuring their employees understand the company’s emergency procedures and feel comfortable reporting potential situations.

Workplace violence in definitely a situation where an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The most effective prevention plan is one that is implemented before a problem occurs. Employees need to understand what to do in an emergency and what the company’s response will be.

Lauren Sims is the article’s author and the Director of Human Resources.

Whenever you require professional Human Resources or Payroll guidance to navigate the ever-changing landscape of California and Federal Employment Laws & Regulations, contact us for a no-obligation consultation.

eqHR Solutions offers professional, tactical and strategic human resources support; ADP payroll product implementation/training and payroll processing services for businesses throughout Southern California.

Reminder- EEO-1 Deadline Early this Year

Beginning in 2018, EEO-1 reports now much be filed with the EEOC by March 31, 2018. The deadline was previously in September.

What is an EEO-1 Report?

The EEO-1 Form is a report filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), mandated by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1967, as amended by the Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972. The Act requires that employers report on the racial/ethnic and gender makeup of their workforce by job categories.

Who is required to file an EEO-1 Report?

All employers that are located in the 50 states and the District of Columbia and have at least 100 employees are required to file an EEO-1 report annually with the EEOC. Federal government contractors and first-tier subcontractors with 50 or more employees and at least $50,000 in contracts must file annually as well. If an employer has met that threshold at some point during the year, and especially during the fourth quarter, we recommend filing to be in compliance.

What data needs to be reported on an EEO-1 Report?

The 2017 EEO-1 report must be based on a payroll snapshot taken between October 1, 2017 and December 31, 2017. The report must then be filed by March 31, 2018. Employers will only be required to report on employee numbers by establishment, broken down by EEO-1 job category, sex, and race or ethnicity. For now, employers are not being required to report on compensation or hours worked.

The reporting system is entirely online on the EEOC website including instructions and FAQ's.  First-time filers can find a simple registration form online as well. When registration is completed, the EEOC will issue a company number to the employer, and filers will be able to log into the system.

Best practices to get ready for the EEO-1

• Have all employees and candidates complete a voluntary self-identification form.
• Employees who do not complete the form can be identified via “visual observation.”

Classify all jobs within your organization in one of the EEOC classifications (for more details visit:) https://www.eeoc.gov/employers/eeo1survey/jobclassguide.cfm

1. Executives and Senior Officers and Managers
2. First/Mid-level Officers and Managers
3. Professionals
4. Technicians
5. Sales Workers
6. Administrative Support Workers
7. Craft Workers
8. Operatives
9. Labors and Helpers
10. Service Workers

• Track data in HRIS or other systems that also include gender, race/ethnicity, and job classification data.

Other details

• Employers with multiple physical locations are required to complete reports covering its principal or headquarters office and separate reports for each establishment employing 50 or more persons, and either (1) a separate report for each establishment employing fewer than 50 employees, or (2) an Establishment List showing the name, address, and total employment for each establishment employing fewer than 50 persons.
• Companies that are affiliated through common ownership and/or centralized management should to be filed as part of their parent company’s report.

Don’t think you’ll be ready in time?

You can request an extension, but you must do so by March 31, 2018. To do so, you must email e1.extensions@eeoc.gov with your company name, company number, address and contact information for the person responsible for the report.

Lauren Sims is the article’s author and the Director of Human Resources.

Whenever you require professional Human Resources or Payroll guidance to navigate the ever-changing landscape of California and Federal Employment Laws & Regulations, contact us for a no-obligation consultation.

 eqHR Solutions offers professional, tactical and strategic human resources support; ADP payroll product implementation/training and payroll processing services for businesses throughout Southern California.