HOW EMPLOYERS CAN RESPOND:

Domestic violence injuries cost Tennessee employers at least $10 million a year in paid work time, according to a study by the Tennessee Economic Council on Women.

This does not include time off for court testimony, obtaining an order of protection or receiving attention from medical and/or legal professionals. Nationally, almost 1 in 4 full-time employed adults has been a victim of domestic violence – and 3 of 4 domestic violence perpetrators have used workplace resources to check up on, pressure or threaten.

What can employers do?

• KNOW the signs of domestic abuse – go to erasedomesticcrime.com, click Signs of Abuse.
• EDUCATE all staff regarding domestic violence and information on who to call to get the help they need. Use seminars, web sites and publications to provide employees with information and resources before they need them! Use resources at erasedomesticcrime.com.
• ENCOURAGE any abused employee to think about a safety plan: to set aside some money and copies of important papers for her and children and a change of clothes, hidden or in care of a friend if she decides to go to a shelter. Plan how to exit the house the next time the abuser is violent. Plan what to do about the children if they are at school, asleep, etc. Safety planning is a process that is ongoing.
• PROVIDE comprehensive health care coverage.
• DEVELOP company-wide policies and security protocols to maintain safety on-site, no matter the size of your company, using state law and good human resources practices to assist you. Install security equipment such as “panic buttons.”
• ENFORCE all policies regardless of the employee’s gender, years of experience or seniority.
• CREATE a safe environment that promotes productivity.
• PRACTICE what you preach.
• CONTACT erasedomesticcrime.com for volunteer opportunities, information and ways you and your business can help erase domestic crime!

1. It is a security and liability concern. Employers who fail to protect their employees at work are liable – awards average $300,000 to $1.2 million. 94% of corporate security directors rank domestic violence as a problem.
2. It is a performance and productivity concern. 37% of abused women had problems with being late to work, getting a promotion or keeping a job. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 7.9 million paid workdays are lost to domestic violence each year at a cost $727.8 million.
3. It is a management issue. In a 2002 study of senior executives, 91% said domestic violence impacts the private and working lives of employees. 56% of them were aware of employees who were domestic violence victims.
4. Employers can make a difference. Open discussion in the workplace can save lives.

Business, corporations, government agencies and domestic violence advocacy groups work together to address prevention and service needs successfully. Be part of connecting resources and volunteers to erase domestic crime in Memphis and Shelby County!

 

*2006 report: http://www.tennessee.gov/sos/ecw/domestic_violence_report.pdf
Other sources: Family Violence Prevention Fund – http://endabuse.org Toolkit to End Violence Against Women http://www.safeatworkcoalition.org

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