Making Making Domestic Domestic Violence Violence

Part of Part of Everybody’s Everybody’s

BusinessBusiness

Dennis Butler, SPHRDennis Butler, SPHR

VP, Workplace SolutionsVP, Workplace Solutions

Liz Claiborne IncLiz Claiborne Inc

Domestic violence is abusive or Domestic violence is abusive or coercive behavior between two coercive behavior between two people in an intimate relationship.people in an intimate relationship.

What is Domestic Violence?What is Domestic Violence?

Domestic Violence In the Workplace

Intimate partner’s behavior that Intimate partner’s behavior that interferes with employee’s ability to interferes with employee’s ability to safely/securely perform duties at work.safely/securely perform duties at work.

Liz Claiborne’s Involvement With DVLiz Claiborne’s Involvement With DV

•Focus on DV began in 1991Focus on DV began in 1991

•Awareness OrientedAwareness Oriented

•Love Is Not AbuseLove Is Not Abuse

•Launch of DV in the Workplace Program Launch of DV in the Workplace Program (2002)(2002)

Liz Claiborne’s Workplace ProgramLiz Claiborne’s Workplace Program

• DV policy in place since early 1990s.DV policy in place since early 1990s.

• Significantly upgraded the program in 2002:Significantly upgraded the program in 2002:• Revised our DV in the Workplace Policy.Revised our DV in the Workplace Policy.• Established protocol for HR, Legal and Established protocol for HR, Legal and

Corporate Security for how to handle casesCorporate Security for how to handle cases• Established a Domestic Violence Established a Domestic Violence

Response Team (DVRT)Response Team (DVRT)• Trained HR, Security, Managers and Trained HR, Security, Managers and

EmployeesEmployees

What Is An Employer’s Role?

RecognizeRecognize

RespondRespond

ReferRefer

What Is An EAP’s Role?What Is An EAP’s Role?

Expertise

Advice

Provide resources and training

Respond - Critical Events and Opportunities

Critical Events• Visible warning signs and risk factors

• Should raise possibility of danger

Opportunities• A chance to intervene • Can be missed because of uncertainty or missing information

Critical Events/Missed Opportunities Dupont Inquest

1 3 3 4 4 4

12

2228

3237

1 2 4 58 10

22

48

65

76

84

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Critical Event

Opportunity

• Unusual absence or lateness for workUnusual absence or lateness for work

• Sudden or sustained drop in productivitySudden or sustained drop in productivity

• Unusual signs of anxiety or fearUnusual signs of anxiety or fear

• Frequent, upsetting phone calls, flowers, Frequent, upsetting phone calls, flowers, gifts at the workplacegifts at the workplace

• Isolation, unusual quietness, keeping away Isolation, unusual quietness, keeping away from othersfrom others

• Unusual absence or lateness for workUnusual absence or lateness for work

• Sudden or sustained drop in productivitySudden or sustained drop in productivity

• Unusual signs of anxiety or fearUnusual signs of anxiety or fear

• Frequent, upsetting phone calls, flowers, Frequent, upsetting phone calls, flowers, gifts at the workplacegifts at the workplace

• Isolation, unusual quietness, keeping away Isolation, unusual quietness, keeping away from othersfrom others

Recognizing Domestic Violence –VictimsRecognizing Domestic Violence –Victims

• Unexplained injuries or injuries that do Unexplained injuries or injuries that do not fit the explanations of how they not fit the explanations of how they occurredoccurred

• Inappropriately dressed/excessive Inappropriately dressed/excessive makeup makeup

• Minimization and denial of harassment Minimization and denial of harassment or injuriesor injuries

• Sensitivity about home life or hints of Sensitivity about home life or hints of trouble at hometrouble at home

• Unexplained injuries or injuries that do Unexplained injuries or injuries that do not fit the explanations of how they not fit the explanations of how they occurredoccurred

• Inappropriately dressed/excessive Inappropriately dressed/excessive makeup makeup

• Minimization and denial of harassment Minimization and denial of harassment or injuriesor injuries

• Sensitivity about home life or hints of Sensitivity about home life or hints of trouble at hometrouble at home

• Most abusers report being distracted and Most abusers report being distracted and preoccupied at work.preoccupied at work.

• Some abusers make costly and dangerous Some abusers make costly and dangerous mistakes on the job as a result.mistakes on the job as a result.

• May seem perfectly “normal” to othersMay seem perfectly “normal” to others

• Most abusers use company phones, email, Most abusers use company phones, email, and vehicles to perpetrate domestic and vehicles to perpetrate domestic violence.violence.

Recognizing Domestic Violence – Abusers

Step OneStep One: Organize a multi-disciplinary team : Organize a multi-disciplinary team to oversee the processto oversee the process

•Human ResourcesHuman Resources•LegalLegal•SecuritySecurity•Subject Matter ExpertsSubject Matter Experts

•Your EAPYour EAP•Local DV AgencyLocal DV Agency

Respond – Creating a Workplace ProgramRespond – Creating a Workplace Program

Respond – Creating a Workplace ProgramRespond – Creating a Workplace Program

Step Two:Step Two: Develop a corporate policy on Develop a corporate policy on Domestic violenceDomestic violence

Respond – Creating a Workplace ProgramRespond – Creating a Workplace Program

Step ThreeStep Three: Provide Training: Provide Training

• Response protocolResponse protocol

• Multidisciplinary Team (DVRT)Multidisciplinary Team (DVRT)

• ManagersManagers

• EmployeesEmployees

Respond – Creating a Workplace ProgramRespond – Creating a Workplace Program

Step FourStep Four: Build awareness through : Build awareness through workplace communicationsworkplace communications

• Recognize, Respond, ReferRecognize, Respond, Refer

• PostersPosters

• BrochuresBrochures

• Employee Health FairsEmployee Health Fairs

• Department MeetingsDepartment Meetings

Respond – Creating a Workplace ProgramRespond – Creating a Workplace Program

Step FiveStep Five: Enlist employees’ help in : Enlist employees’ help in ensuring the workplace is a violence-ensuring the workplace is a violence-free zonefree zone

Step SixStep Six: Broaden communications to : Broaden communications to include members of the community include members of the community including stakeholders in your industry including stakeholders in your industry and other organizationsand other organizations

Key Points to RememberKey Points to Remember

• Integrate ProgramIntegrate Program– Partnering with your EAPPartnering with your EAP– Integrating with Performance ManagementIntegrating with Performance Management

• Focus on safety for victim and Focus on safety for victim and workplace.workplace.

• Company representatives don’t act as Company representatives don’t act as counselors – we are conduits to expertscounselors – we are conduits to experts

More Key Points…More Key Points…

• Knowing right referrals is most effective.Knowing right referrals is most effective.

• Policies and protocols are guidelines Policies and protocols are guidelines only.only.

• Environment must be open and Environment must be open and comfortable.comfortable.

Love is Not Abuse -Love is Not Abuse -loveisnotabuse.comloveisnotabuse.com

Corporate Alliance to End Partner Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence – www.caepv.orgViolence – www.caepv.org

Safe At Work Coalition – Safe At Work Coalition – www.safeatworkcoalition.org www.safeatworkcoalition.org

Web Sites For More InformationWeb Sites For More Information

QuestionsQuestions

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