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Workplace Violence

Prevention Policy

Developed & Implemented By

Director of Safety, Risk Management & Asset Protection

Effective Date: January 1999 Reviewed & Revised 03/2000 Reviewed & Revised 01/2002

Reviewed & Revised 08/2005 Reviewed & Revised 10/2006

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Gulfstream Goodwill Industries, Inc. WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION POLICY

Effective Date: 01/01/99 Gulfstream Goodwill Industries, Inc. has a growing concern about the increased violence in society, which has now filtered into many workplaces throughout the United States and has implemented steps to help prevent incidents of violence from occurring at Gulfstream Goodwill. It is the policy of Gulfstream Goodwill Industries, Inc. to expressly prohibit any acts or threats of violence, prejudice, harassment, and intimidation by any employee or former employee against any employees, participants, customers, or visitors in or about the Goodwill facilities or elsewhere at any time while they are engaged in business with or on behalf of Gulfstream Goodwill Industries, Inc. Violence in the workplace is physical or verbal aggression toward others. This includes verbalization, writing, gestures or other forms of expression that could be interpreted by a reasonable person as communicating a direct or potential threat to oneself or others. It is the intent of this policy to ensure that Gulfstream Goodwill’s objectives here are attained, and it is the commitment of Gulfstream Goodwill to: 1. Provide a safe and healthful work environment in accordance with

Gulfstream Goodwill’s safety and health practices. 2. Take prompt remedial action up to and including immediate termination

against any employee or participant who engages in any threatening behavior or acts of violence or who uses any obscene, abusive, or threatening language or gestures.

3. Take appropriate action when dealing with customers, employees or former

employees, participants, or visitors to Gulfstream Goodwill Industries facilities who engage in such behavior. Such action may include notifying the police or other law enforcement personnel and prosecuting violators of this policy to the maximum extent of the law.

4. Prohibit employees, participants, former employees, customers, and visitors

from bringing unauthorized firearms or other weapons onto Gulfstream Goodwill Industries, Inc. property.

5. Establish viable security measures to ensure Gulfstream Goodwill facilities are

safe and secure and to properly handle access to company facilities by the

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public, off-duty employees, participants, and former employees. WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION POLICY

In furtherance of this policy, employees have a “duty to warn” their supervisors, managers, or Director of Safety & Risk Management of any suspicious workplace activity or situations or incidents they observe or are aware of that involve other employees, participants, former employees, customers, or visitors that appear problematic. This includes, for example, threats or acts of violence, aggressive behavior, offensive acts, threatening or offensive comments or remarks, and the like. Any employee who displays a tendency to engage in behavior that Gulfstream Goodwill, in its sole discretion deems offensive or inappropriate, may be referred to counseling or other appropriate treatment. Such employees will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including discharge. They could face criminal charges as well.

Though it is very difficult to assess the culminating factor, “the straw that broke the camel’s back,” some precipitating employment and non-employment related events include the following:

Employment Related Non-Employment Related Job burnout/long hours Alcohol / Drug abuse Disciplinary action Domestic disputes Down sizing & restructuring Death of family member Favoritism Parenting Discrimination Rejection, break-up, divorce Loss of employment benefits or entitlement Financial difficulties Non-selection for promotion Personal upheaval Retirement concerns Loneliness Perception of supervisor as unjust Sleep disruption / disorder Unemployment Medication change / reaction Unfair treatment by supervisor/staff Displaced anger / fear / attention

seeker

Violence may come from an employee, former employee, jilted suitor, or ex-spouse of an employee. It can even come from our customers. Therefore, a violent reaction to a given situation is possible from any person, but it takes less to provoke individuals predisposed to violence. An unstable person, contemplating violence, often gives warning signs of the impending act. Troubled by the fear that he/she intends to hurt someone, the person may give signals as a call for help. For example, an employee might have a violent reaction or over-reaction to a new policy, threaten a co-worker, or withdrawal all of his/her money from the bank or credit union. These actions could be warning signs. Other warning signs: Repeated violations of organization’s policies & rules, talks about past incidents of violence, displays an “everyone’s against me attitude,” has a plan to “solve everything,” bizarre behavior, has fascination with weapons. Other factors include anxiety about the continuity of employment; anger over feeling mistreated or reassigned, poor communication between managers and employees or perceived partiality or nepotism. Most employees who are violent to managers/supervisors or co-workers have been discharged or feel mistreated. If these precipitating factors can be controlled, an aggressive incident can often be prevented, or at least anticipated in time to defuse it.

Employee reports made pursuant to this policy will be held in confidence to the maximum

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extent and Gulfstream Goodwill will not condone any form of retaliation against an employee for making a report under this policy.

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WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION POLICY

Gulfstream Goodwill Industries, Inc. Workplace Violence Prevention Policy

At Gulfstream Goodwill Industries, Inc. our policy is to strive to maintain a work environment free from intimidation, threats, or violent acts. This includes, but is not limited to, intimidating, threatening or hostile behaviors, physical abuse, vandalism, arson, sabotage, use of weapons, carrying weapons onto company property, or any other act, which, in management’s opinion, is inappropriate to the workplace. In addition, bizarre or offensive comments regarding violent events and/or behavior are not tolerated. Employees who feel subjected to any of the behaviors listed above should immediately report the incident to their supervisor and the safety director. Complaints will receive attention and the situation will be investigated. Based upon the results of the inquiry, disciplinary action which management feels is appropriate will be taken. Employees who observe or have knowledge of any violation of this policy should immediately report it to management. We will investigate these events and look to employees for support of this policy. Employees should directly contact proper law enforcement authorities if they believe there is a serious threat to the safety and health of others. ___________________________________ ____________________________________ Employee’s Printed Name Signature of Supervisor ___________________________________ ____________________________________ Signature of Employee Date

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WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION POLICY

GULFSTREAM GOODWILL INDUSTRIES, INC.

WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION POLICY EFFECTIVE DATE: 01/01/99

WORKPLACE VIOLENCE POLICY STATEMENT “ZERO TOLERANCE”

PURPOSE: To provide a safe workplace, free from violence, for all employees. To prohibit any act or threat of violence, by any current or former employee or participant against any other employee. To prohibit acts or threats of violence against Gulfstream Goodwill Industries’ customers, participants, volunteers, or visitors while engaged in business with Gulfstream Goodwill Industries, Inc. APPROVED BY: ____________________________________________________

Marvin A. Tanck, President & CEO Date DISTRIBUTION: All Staff INCIDENTS:

Intimidating Gestures - Report to the Supervisor or Director (responsible for location) or the Director of Safety & Risk Management any incident being subjected to or observing intimidating gestures.

An investigation will be conducted by the Safety & Risk Management Department and Human Resources Department with appropriate discipline issued, as necessary.

Verbal or Written Threats - Report to your Supervisor or the Director of Safety & Risk

Management any incident of receiving or observing any type threat of violence.

Indicate if any employee is uncomfortable with or unwilling to continue working near the individual making such threats.

An investigation will be conducted by the Safety & Risk Management Department and Human Resources Department with the appropriate discipline issued, as necessary. Gulfstream Goodwill Industries, Inc. may elect to

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have the individual making threats removed from the organization or dealt with by proper outside authorities.

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WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION POLICY

Presence of - Report to a Supervisor, Senior Staff person or the Director a Firearm & Risk Management any witnessing of a firearm/illegal weapon on

any Gulfstream Goodwill property.

An investigation will be conducted by the Safety & Risk Management department and Human Resources department and the appropriate discipline will be issued, as necessary. The Safety Department may elect to contact the police immediately.

Assaults - If assaulted, try to protect self, using conflict resolution techniques

or summon help. If witnessing an assault, contact a supervisor or call 9-1-1.

Advise the Safety & Risk Management department of any and all incidents immediately. An investigation will be conducted with the appropriate discipline issued, as necessary.

Stalking/Domestic- Report to a supervisor or the Director of Safety any incident of

Domestic being bothered or stalked. Pursue avenues of protection such as “no contact” or “restraining” orders.

The Safety Director & Human Resources will assist an employee in order to promote his/her safety, i.e., making arrangements to have someone escort an employee to his/her car.

Robbery - Cooperate with the intruder. Do not put up resistance unless the

intruder is attempting abduction. Give the intruder what he/she is demanding. Do not sound any type of alarm if the intruder possesses a weapon.

As soon as it is safe, call 9-1-1, contact your supervisor & the Safety Director. Human Resources will assist an employee in seeking counseling, if appropriate, to recover from the incident.

All employees - will comply with work practices that are designed to make the

workplace more secure. Do not engage in threats or physical actions, which create a security hazard for others in the workplace.

Management - All members of management are committed to ensuring that all

policies involving workplace security are clearly communicated and understood by all employees. Ensure no communication

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regarding an incident is made to outside media except through the President & CEO of Gulfstream Goodwill Industries.

WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION POLICY

Management - New employees will be oriented to Gulfstream Goodwills’ violence program and security practices. Specialized training programs will be offered to address specific aspects of workplace violence and security, as needed. Gulfstream Goodwill Industries will bar employees, customers, or other individuals engaging in violent behavior from their premises.

Management has a responsibility for maintaining the well-being of their associates. They should be particularly well informed about applicable resources and alert to situations in their organization that might require their immediate involvement. To accomplish this, Supervisory training will be required of all management and supervisors to sensitize them to the situations leading to workplace violence and the resources available for support.

The same actions that produce a safe, productive workplace and an atmosphere of teamwork also contribute to preventing workplace violence. All Gulfstream Goodwill employees should make good use of the resources available to them to encourage open communication, effective stress management, and constructive resolution of disputes. Employees experiencing high stress should discuss their concerns with their supervisor or with appropriate resources:

• Immediate Supervisor or Manager • Human Resources - (848-7200) • Risk Management - (848-7200) • President & CEO - (848-7200)

There are no guarantees against a random incident of workplace violence. For this reason, a Response Team (RT) has been selected to serve as a focal point for awareness, education and information exchange, and to prepare to deal with an incident should one occur. The team consists of:

• Vice President Human Resources • Director Safety, Risk Management & Asset Protection • Safety & Asset Protection Coordinator • Director of Community Contracts • Vice President of Marketing • Vice President of Retail Operations

If an incident does occur, appropriate response and recovery actions will help ensure that everything gets back to normal as quickly as possible. Such an incident can

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affect a wide circle of people. We expect all employees of Gulfstream Goodwill Industries to act in a manner that is respectful and courteous to the public and other employees.

WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION POLICY

HAZARD ASSESSMENT

Hazard Assessment is a step-by-step review of the workplace, work routines, and work history to find existing or potential workplace violence. The assessment must identify recommendations for engineering, administrative and procedural controls. Management and employee participation is crucial for this program to be successful.

PHYSICAL WORKSITE ANALYSIS Employees must be familiar with their worksite, know blind spots, know the physical lay-out of the location, inside and outside. All employees are to be familiar with the emergency evacuation plan and periodically review security procedures to ensure no breach has occurred in action taken.

• Entrance to building easily seen from street - free of heavy shrub growth • Lighting is bright inside and outside in parking areas • Workplace security is adequate - locks, secured windows, cameras • Alarm systems and panic button alarms • Drop safes or time access safes are utilized • Cash register in plain view of customers, police patrolling • Windows and view outside and inside are clear of signs, advertising, obstructions • Emergency telephone numbers are posted / cell phone available if phone lines are out • Post signage stating limited cash on hand, no drugs

WORK-ROUTINE ANALYSIS In addition to reviewing the worksite, employees must review work routines at their location, especially the routines of high-risk employees, such as those who handle money, work nights, or work in high crime areas.

• Employees work with at least one other person • Utilize the “buddy system” during high risk hours or when handling cash • Employees trained to recognize threatening, aggressive, violent behavior • Establish a relationship with local law enforcement • Examine operating procedures - eliminate any that place employees in undue danger • Do periodic checks on employees who work in isolated areas

WORKPLACE HISTORY The final step in hazard assessment is to evaluate workplace history in relation to potential violence. Workplace history analysis should include the following factors:

• Is the area in which the business is located known for regular occurrences of violence • High-risk factors, such as types of customers, participants involved in previous incidents

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• Patterns of violence, crime - time, day, specific location of violence • Violent acts occurred on the premises or in the conduct of business • Customers assault, threaten, yell, push, or verbally abuse staff members • Customers use racial or make sexual remarks • Motives of past cases of violence; robbery, drug related incidents, customer

dissatisfaction WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION POLICY

MANAGING AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR

We all need to be aware of our actions and their impact on Gulfstream Goodwill co-workers. Awareness and understanding will make us more sensitive to aggressive behavior and possible explosive situations. Although there are no easy solutions to the problem of violence in the workplace, there are steps we can take at Gulfstream Goodwill toward prevention. • AWARENESS - All employees must understand the profile of the typical

perpetrator in order to be able to identify an individual who may be at risk. This can be accomplished through training and education.

• COMMUNICATION - All employees must understand that violence, of any sort will not be tolerated at Gulfstream Goodwill Industries, Inc.

• PREPAREDNESS - All employees must receive training in the correct response to any sign of threats of violence or aggressive behavior in the workplace.

• RESPONSE - All employees must be prepared to respond in the correct manner to any sign of threats of violence or aggressive behavior in the workplace.

Aggressive behavior can escalate through four stages. Employee response at each stage may defuse the situation, or determine whether a person’s behavior progresses to the next level.

PERSON’S BEHAVIOR STAFF RESPONSE Anxiety - pacing, staring, rude, uncooperative, Be supportive, listen carefully, confused, complaining. be calm & patient, reduce anxiety. Defensive - acting out verbally, angry, hostile, Be direct, firm, controlled, shouting obscenities. isolate the situation & onlookers. Acting out physically - loss of self control, kicking, Get help, staff or professional, biting, grabbing, spitting, punching. use non-violent physical intervention

techniques. Tension Reduction - regains rationality, may apologize and feel guilty. Therapeutic rapport - talk things out, help the person deal with

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feelings, consider alternatives to aggression, increase self-esteem. Aggressive behavior is often unpredictable and unexpected, not all people will progress through the four stages. Or they may progress so rapidly from one stage to the next it is difficult to respond to each individual stage. Recognizing the warning signs, knowing how and where to get help, and taking proactive steps will reduce incidents, making Gulfstream Goodwill Industries a more effective, efficient, and caring place in which to work. This manual can help you achieve the above.

WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION POLICY

HAZARD ENHANCEMENT

In addition to hazard and work practice controls at Gulfstream Goodwill Industries here are additional ways to enhance our workplace violence prevention policy: • Limit entry to non-public / participant areas by locking doors and using “No

Entry” or “Authorized Persons Only” signs. • Lock all unused doors to limit access, in accordance with local fire codes. • Limit the use of jewelry and money. • Instruct employees not to carry cash while on duty and/or limit the cash level

at a cash register. At night, limit cash on-hand to $50 or less. • Do not require employees to work alone at sites with a history of crime or

where violence is a frequent occurrence. • Establish a buddy system during high-risk hours or when handling large

volumes of cash. • Post signs stating “zero” - violence policy. • Provide incident investigation for all violent or potentially violent situations. • Enforce our policy that requires reporting all threats and violent incidents

immediately. • Provide support for victims during all stages of the post event, i.e. medical

treatment, legal action and counseling.

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• Ensure that staff receive the appropriate training in company policy and

procedures. • Secure parking lots, provide adequate lighting and, if necessary, implement

policies which require employees to be escorted to and from cars. WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION POLICY

HAZARD ENHANCEMENT

• Carefully screen all employees prior to hiring. Conduct rigorous reference

checks. • Install and regularly maintain alarm systems and other security devices; panic

buttons, noise devices. • Use a closed-circuit video recording high-risk areas or place curved mirrors

at hallway intersections or concealed areas. • Establish liaison with local police departments, provide police departments

and fire departments with physical layouts of facilities to expedite investigations. • Institute and enforce a sign-in procedure with passes for visitors. Consider using Executive management, the Safety director or human resources staff to assist in any physical worksite analysis.

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WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION POLICY

TRAUMATIC INCIDENTS IN THE WORKPLACE

Traumatic incidents are situations outside the ordinary that expose us to physical trauma. Whenever possible, Gulfstream Goodwill’s goal is to prevent incidents of violence in the workplace from occurring. To prevent traumatic incidents we must consider health, safety and security precautions. We must learn to recognize and manage potentially dangerous situations before they turn into emergencies. We can’t prevent all traumatic incidents, because high levels of stress go with many jobs, but when an incident occurs, our goal must be to identify immediately affected employees and give them the support needed to aid in their recovery. We think of a traumatic incident in the workplace as one in which a disgruntled employee returns to the workplace to kill his/her former supervisor. Traumatic incidents also include natural disasters, sudden death from natural causes, for example the unexpected loss of a co-worker to a heart attack, assaults, robberies, and stalking. Any manager or employee may be called on at some time to exercise leadership in the aftermath of trauma, with or without the help of specialized programs. Employees at all levels of responsibility must prepare, not only to cope with trauma in their own professional lives, but also to aid co-workers or subordinates who experience traumatic incidents.

Whatever the causes of workplace violence, traumatic incidence, or any other disruption, managers and supervisors play a key role in preventing and responding to it. Undeniably, workplace leadership affects the problem, either positively or negatively. Management sets the tone for behavior in his/her locations. If his/her responses are right, the employees in the organization are more likely to respond accordingly.

Management should be aware that changes in policies, procedures and working conditions cause stress. They are in the best position to observe and recognize the behavior of employees who are at risk of creating a violent episode. They must be

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aware of changes in people’s attitudes, behaviors and performance, be actively concerned, and show interest about impact on people and their families. Also, management must communicate by listening and being proactive, be knowledgeable of available resources, and be supportive of training and empowering subordinates. We deal with a wide spectrum of society and every day our employees face extreme forms of human behavior, we need to be prepared.

IN SUMMARY: Every employee should understand the concept of “Universal / Standard Precautions for Violence,” i.e., that violence should be expected but can be avoided or mitigated through preparation and training. For this policy to be effective, management and front-line employees must work together in a cohesive team approach. Effective safety and health programs are known to improve both morale and productivity and reduce workers’ compensation costs.WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION POLICY

WORKPLACE VIOLENCE DEFINED

According to OSHA, there are three categories of workplace violence: Type I - Stranger Violence

Stranger versus employee such as armed robbery. This accounts for 60% of all workplace homicides.

Type II - Participant Violence

Participant versus employee which is best exemplified by a social worker being attacked by a participant. This accounts for 30% of all workplace homicides. A much overlooked arena is the violence perpetrated against nurses in their workplace setting.

Type III - Employee Violence

Employee versus employee which is best exemplified by a case wherein an employee attacks a supervisor. This accounts for 10% of all workplace homicides. This category also includes domestic violence.

FEDERAL GUIDELINES

On March 14, 1996, The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) released its first set of guidelines published by a Federal Agency addressing Workplace Violence. The three (3) main components are as follows:

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1. Establish a Violence Prevention Program 2. Eliminate / minimize identified hazards 3. Provide comprehensive training and education to employees with

qualified trainers. We at Gulfstream Goodwill Industries are in accordance with the three main components of OSHA’s Federal Guidelines. WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION POLICY

WORKPLACE VIOLENCE FACTS

WORKPLACE BREEDS VIOLENCE: 1. Authoritarian management 2. Inconsistent policies and decision-making 3. Negative environment factors 4. Creativity & new ideas discouraged 5. No program in place to deal with violence 6. Polarization between employees and management BACKGROUND SCREENING: 1. Criminal & W/C history 4. Address verification 2. Driving MVR (extensive driving history) 5. Professional credentials 3. Previous employment & references 6. Credit history HOW TO DO EMPLOYEE TERMINATIONS 1. Private meeting 5. Discuss facts only 2. Have two managers present 6. Final paperwork

completed 3. Have security nearby 7. Escort person(s) out of

building

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4. Terminate at the end of day 8. No re-entry THREAT ASSESSMENT: Always call Police whenever threats are received for them to file a report, document and possibly issue a “Trespassing Warrant.” VIOLENCE POLICY KEY COMPONENTS: 1. Full support of Executive Management 2. Straightforward policy - make a statement on violence 3. Communicate policy to staff 4. Periodic training of personnel 5. Designate trained personnel for crisis prevention and intervention WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION POLICY

WORKPLACE VIOLENCE STATISTICS DEFINITIONS: (according to NIOSH - National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health) VIOLENCE - is a response by someone who does not have good conflict

resolution skills. WORKPLACE - is any location, permanent or temporary, where any employee

performs work-related duties. This includes buildings, parking lots, participant’s homes and traveling to and from work assignments.

WORKPLACE VIOLENCE - is any physical assault, threatening behavior,

(harassment), or verbal abuse occurring in the work setting. (Offensive & abusive language)

STATS.... In 1999, there were 7 million violent crimes in the U.S. - 23% work-related.

Only second to MVA (motor vehicle accidents) as leading cause of workplace death.

43.1% of workplace violence victims are women. Workplace violence is the

number one cause of death for females in the workplace.

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Workplace violence costs to American businesses have risen from 4.2 billion to 36 billion in 1995.

856 employees were murdered on the job in 1997, 705 shot, 73 stabbed, 290

injured.

When surveyed, 78% Human Resources personnel & 94% Security personnel agreed that domestic violence is a “significant issue” and have dealt with an incident in the past year.

In 1997, over 100 bosses were murdered by employees.

Yearly average, 1.5 million simple assaults, 396,000 aggravated assaults, 51,000

rapes/sexual assaults.

50% of all workplace violence goes unreported.

This is a very serious PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEM

WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION POLICY

RED FLAGS OF CAUTION - WORKPLACE VIOLENCE

Verbal Threats

Increased stress in the workplace

Loud outbursts

Poor employee-supervisor relationship

Bringing weapons on company property to “show friends”

Overt signs of depression and/or substance abuse

Withdrawal signs (e.g. change in appearance, taking personal pictures down, reduced communication level)

Romaic obsession with a co-worker

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Increase in tardiness, sick leave, and requests to depart early

Employee’s expression of fear toward another employee

Employee who suddenly withdraws all funds from Company sponsored 401K or Credit Union

1 out of 3 co-workers / supervisors have ignored these warning signs!!!