OCHU

Ontario Council of Hospital Unions/CUPE Defending healthcare in every community

Sample Domestic Violence Prevention Policy

A sample domestic violence policy outlining the definition of domestic violence and the company’s response protocol.

Companies wishing to develop an in-house domestic violence policy might want to take a look at this document provided by the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence.

Introduction
(Company Name) seeks to provide a work environment free from violence or threats of violence against individuals, groups, or employees, or threats against company property-including partner violence that may occur on our property. This policy requires that all individuals on company premises or while representing the Company conduct themselves in a professional manner consistent with good business practices and in absolute conformity with non-violence principles and standards...read more

How to Respond to Employees Facing Domestic Violence

Introduction
The serious nature of domestic violence in the workplace warrants the attention of the employer, managers, supervisors, and office security staff. This pamphlet is intended to help managers and supervisors interact with employees who are victims of domestic violence, and to help those employees connect to needed services.
Designing an effective workplace response, including a safety plan, is crucial for everyone. It should be based on the victim’s information and inclination, as well as the capacity of the workplace.
However, to avoid a potentially dangerous situation, managers should avoid becoming overly involved in counseling the employee or offering personal favors (offering your home as shelter, giving money from petty cash, or doing impromptu safety checks at the employee’s
home)...download booklet

Workplace Violence and Harassment: Understanding the Law

About This Guide

This guide explains what every worker, supervisor, employer and constructor needs to know about workplace violence and workplace harassment requirements in the Occupational Health and Safety Act. It describes everyone's rights and responsibilities and answers, in plain language, the questions that are most commonly asked about these requirements.
Please note this guide is not a legal document. It should not be taken as a statement of the law or what constitutes compliance with the law. If you need help in determining what constitutes compliance, you should consult a lawyer.
This guide does not cover every situation or answer every question about the legal requirements for workplace violence and workplace harassment in Ontario. It also does not cover requirements for other workplace health and safety issues. You should consult A Guide to the Occupational Health and Safety Act for information about other requirements.
This guide does not cover other legal obligations that may exist such as those under Canada’s Criminal Code or Ontario’s Human Rights Code.
Ontario Ministry of Labour health and safety inspectors enforce the Occupational Health and Safety Act and may refer to this guide when determining compliance. They do not enforce this guide.
The workplace violence and workplace harassment requirements are effective June 15, 2010 and are enforceable as of that date...download this guide

Domestic violence - model policy

This brief provides a model Domestic Violence policy which TSSA reps can use when discussing, with their employer, the development of a workplace strategy for dealing with domestic violence.

TSSA Reps should consider raising the question of domestic violence with their employer with a view to agreeing a workplace domestic violence policy. The following is offered as a typical policy and can be developed in discussions with employers.

Draft Policy on Domestic Violence

Introduction
Domestic Violence is the physical, emotional, sexual or mental abuse of one person by another with whom they have or have had a close or intimate relationship. It manifests itself in destructive criticism and verbal abuse, disrespect, harassment, threats, sexual and physical violence, psychological blackmail, economic and psychological control and deceit.

Abuse against employees happens in all societies irrespective of gender, ethnicity, class, nationality, religion, cultural background, disability, marital status, age or sexual orientation. It can have a damaging effect on the recipient’s mental and physical health, resulting in poor performance and attendance at work. It is therefore a major issue. One in four women suffer domestic violence and it can have a major impact on their working lives. The cost to an organisation can also be quite considerable.

For many victims of domestic violence there is no escape, even when they go to work. Some perpetrators of domestic violence come to the workplace searching for the victim because they are often prevented through legal injunctions from going to the victim’s home. This can be terrifying for the person and upsetting for their work colleagues. What was once viewed as a relatively safe haven away from the home, can turn into an equally insecure and unsafe environment.

As an employer we have a duty to provide a safe working environment which includes protecting employees from the risk of violent attacks.

We also accept that we have a duty to promote a safe and healthy working environment and to provide support to any employee, male or female who is a victim of domestic violence and to protect employees from the risk of violent attacks. We have therefore developed the following policy statement on Domestic Violence.
...read more