Workplace Violence: Policies, Procedures, and Prevention Plans
Across the nation, violence in the workplace has become a significant occupational hazard. Workplace violence is any violent act that occurs in the workplace and creates a hostile work environment that affects employees' physical or psychological well-being. Violence at work can take many forms: harassment, intimidation, threats, theft, stalking, assault, arson, sabotage, bombing, hostage taking, kidnapping, extortion, suicide, and homicide. While violence is more likely in workplaces where workers exchange money, work alone at night, handle valuable items, work in high-crime areas, or work with those who may become violent, all workplaces, regardless of size or type of the organization, including The Graduate Center, have the potential for violence.
The Graduate Center and the City University of New York are committed to maintaining an environment free of any form of violence in the workplace by promoting a positive, respectful, and safe work environment that fosters employees' security, safety, and health and will make every effort to prevent violent incidents from occurring by implementing a Workplace Violence Prevention Program. In support of this endeavor, CUNY adopted a workplace violence policy in 2005 which established Workplace Violence Advisory Teams at each college that assist the Presidents in responding to workplace violence, facilitating appropriate responses to reported violent incidents as well as assessing the potential problem of workplace violence and the college’s readiness for dealing with workplace violence.
On June 7, 2006, New York State enacted legislation that requires public employers to determine the risks of violence to workers in the workplace, and to develop and implement prevention programs to minimize those risks. The law becomes effective on March 7, 2007. The law requires every public employer to perform a risk evaluation of their workplace to determine the presence of factors or situations that might place employees at risk from occupational violence, prepare a written workplace violence prevention program and inform and train employees on the requirements of the law and the workplace risk factors that were identified.
