Transcript State of Iowa Violence-Free Workplace

State of Iowa & University of Iowa
Violence-Free Workplace
2014
Training for Clerical Bargaining Unit Members and
Their Supervisors
Introductions
of Trainers
What is your name?
 What unit do you work for?
 What do you do there?

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Class Objectives - Union
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Review the State's and University’s policies
and procedures regarding a Violence Free
Workplace - UNION
Review the University’s Universal
Competencies - MANAGEMENT
Identify department/institutional-specific
policies and resources - MANAGEMENT
Discuss workplace violence issues - UNION
Recognize inappropriate behavior -MANAGEMENT
Clarify employee/management
responsibilities and reporting - UNION
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History of this Training
- Union
During contract negotiations
between the State and AFSCME
the parties agreed to provide
training to employees and
managers.
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What is Workplace Violence,
Mobbing and Bullying? UNION
-
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State of Iowa
SECTION 9.70 VIOLENCE-FREE WORKPLACE POLICY
VIOLENCE-FREE WORKPLACE POLICY
for Executive Branch Employees
Violence Defined -UNION
Violence is any act which is intended to
intimidate, annoy, or alarm another person; or any
act which is intended to cause pain or injury to, or
which is intended to result in physical or personal
contact which will be insulting or offensive to another,
coupled with the apparent ability to execute the act.
(Iowa Code sections 708.1 and 708.7)
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University of Iowa – Universal Competencies
-MANAGEMENT
Apply to all University jobs, support our mission,
and are consistent with our core values
They are:
Positive Impact/Achieving Results
Service Excellence/Customer Focus
Collaboration and Embracing Diversity
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University of Iowa
Operations Manual Part II, Chapter 10
VIOLENCE POLICY- MGMT
Prohibited Behavior Definition
 Bringing a Complaint
 Informal Resolution
 Investigation
 Other University Policies

http://www.uiowa.edu/~our/opmanual/ii/10.htm
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Policy Intent
- MGMT

The State of Iowa and UI are committed to a
violence-free workplace, and its goal is to
prevent violence in the workplace.
 All officials, managers, supervisors, and
employees will treat each other with courtesy,
dignity, and respect
 Threats, intimidation, harassment, or acts of
violence will not be tolerated
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Policy Intent

- MGMT
State of Iowa is committed to:
– Preventing the potential for violence in the
work environment.
– Reducing the negative consequences for
employees who experience or encounter
violence.
– Maintaining a work environment of respect
and positive conflict resolution.
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Policy Intent

- MGMT
Employees are prohibited from engaging in
harassment of another employee, supervisor,
manager, vendor, customer, or client in
accordance with the State of Iowa's Equal
Employment Opportunity, Affirmative Action,
and Anti-Discrimination Policy and the
University’s Nondiscrimination Statement and
Harassment Policies.
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Policy Intent

- MGMT
Employees shall cooperate fully with all
appropriate individuals in the
investigation and prosecution of criminal
acts, this policy, and the pursuit of any
civil remedies in order to create and
maintain a violence-free workplace.
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Remedies for Violations
- MGMT
Corrective action will be taken to remedy
violations of these policies when
warranted, up to and including the
discharge of parties whose conduct
violates these policies.
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MGMT

An employee who is the victim of workplace
violence shall report the incident immediately
in accordance with the procedures
established by University policy.
 An employee witnessing workplace violence
or the potential for such violence directed at
another person or property of the state shall
report such incidents in accordance with the
procedures established by University policy.
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Mobbing Defined - UNION
Mobbing is a ‘ganging up’ on
someone to force the person out
through the use of rumor, innuendo,
discrediting, humiliation, isolation,
and intimidation. It is a group
bullying process that occurs repeatedly
over a period of weeks, months, or even years.
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Bullying Defined - UNION
Bullying is unwanted repeated, negative,
offensive, hurtful, malicious, cruel, and/or
mean-spirited behavior directed at another
person that leads to isolation, alienation,
exclusion, and/or separation from others
and creates a highly stressful workplace.
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Harassment Defined-UNION
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Harassment… conduct that is unwelcome, severe or
pervasive that is based on a protected class.
Includes communications without legitimate purpose
and in a manner likely to cause the other person
annoyance or harm (Iowa Code section 708.7).
– Intentional conduct directed toward a person that is sufficiently
severe, pervasive, or persistent that it interferes with work.
– Personally abusive epithets that are likely to provoke a violent
reaction, or is a serious expression of an intent to commit an act of
unlawful violence.
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Recognizing Inappropriate
Behavior - MANAGEMENT
It would be ideal to have some way of predicting who will become violent;
however, there is no test, instrument, or method that can accurately predict
whether an individual will become violent.
Inappropriate Behavior MANAGEMENT
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Unwelcome name-calling
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Obscene language
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Intimidation through direct or veiled threats
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Property damage or destruction
Lists included are not all inclusive
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Inappropriate Behavior- UNION
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Throwing objects in the workplace
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Physically intimidating others
– Obscene gestures
– “Getting in your face”
– Fist-shaking
– Finger in your face
Lists included are not all inclusive
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Inappropriate Behavior –
MANAGEMENT
Physically touching another employee in
an intimidating, malicious, or sexually
harassing manner…
•
•
•
•
Hitting
Slapping
Poking
Flicking
•
•
•
•
Kicking
Pinching
Grabbing
Pushing
Lists included are not all inclusive
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Why Do People
Join In? - UNION

Want to be accepted
 Afraid of becoming a target
 Don’t see the target as a person
 Don’t understand the misery they cause
 Think they’re doing the right thing
 Think it doesn’t matter
 Don’t know how to stop it
 Don’t think for themselves
 Get caught up in the “power-trip” of the situation
 Follow the “leader” and do things usually would not do
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Reporting Workplace
Violence - UNION
… It is Everyone’s Responsibility!
Filing a ReportUNION
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Can file complaint many ways:
– Your direct supervisor
– Someone in your department’s chain of command
• College/Unit Human Resources Rep or Senior Rep
• Academic or Administrative Officer
– If harassment is of a sexual nature:
• University EOD or Sexual Misconduct Response Coord.
– Board of Regents (For Universities and Special Schools
Only)
– President, American Federation of State, County, and
Municipal Employees, Iowa Council 61
– Chief Operating Officer, Dept of Administrative Services –
Human Resources Enterprise
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Responsibility to Report –
UNION

EVERYONE has a responsibility to report
violent behavior or threats… failure to do so
can have consequences…
– The behavior could escalate.
– The “victim” employee could feel forced
out of their job, performance can be
impacted, can become depressed, etc.
– It appears that YOU support those who
are harassing, intimidating, picking on
another employee.
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Why Do People Not Make A Report?
UNION
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The behavior is taken for granted
Unaware of policies
Lack of confidence
Unaware of the importance of reporting
Unaware of behaviors that indicate a potential
of violence
Fear of retaliation or confrontation
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Everyone Has Responsibilities
- Union
Employee Responsibility
UNION

Be familiar with workplace violence policies.
 Recognize and report inappropriate behavior.
 Conduct yourself in a manner that will
minimize and defuse potentially violent
situations.
 Cooperate fully in an investigation of
complaints in order to create and maintain a
violence-free workplace.
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Management ResponsibilityMANAGEMENT
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Take all complaints seriously.
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Investigate complaints.
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Keep complainant and dept. informed
regarding status of any safety concerns.
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Things Everyone Can Do to
Minimize Violence - UNION
Behavior to Minimize Violence –
MANAGEMENT

If, at any time, a person’s behavior starts to
escalate beyond your comfort zone, withdraw
from the situation and seek assistance.
>>
IF IN DOUBT – GET OUT
<<

Do not confront individuals who are a threat.
 Take all threats seriously and report them.
 If you leave the situation to minimize violence
be sure to report that fact immediately to
someone in the chain of command
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Behavior to Minimize Violence
-MGMT
REMINDER – if violent, GET OUT and call 911
 Project calmness
 Be a good listener
 Focus your attention on the person
 Maintain relaxed, attentive posture
 Acknowledge the person’s feeling
 Ask the person to move to a less or more public
area – as appropriate
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Behavior to Minimize ViolenceUNION
 Use delaying tactics which will give the person
time to calm down.
 Be reassuring and point out choices.
 Identify and deal with specific issues.
 Avoid arguing - accept criticism in the moment.
 Ask for his/her recommendations.
 Position yourself so that a visitor cannot block
your access to an exit.
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Behavior to Minimize Violence –
MANAGEMENT
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If you are assigned to monitor a client and that client
“acts out”, do not abandon the client. Respond as
trained - seek assistance as needed/trained.
 At UI Health Care: Consult your supervisor about calling a
Code Green or dialing “192”

Call 911 in case of EMERGENCY,
if part of response
policy.
Note: Not all locations have policy to call 911 in all situations – check
with your supervisor if you do not know YOUR specific policy.
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Behavior to Minimize Violence –
UNION
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Always be aware of your work environment
Arrange furniture to allow escape
Remove potential “weapons” from desk
Wear “break-away” lanyards
Tell others present, you “will not participate!”
Employees should not attempt to protect
property or possessions over personal safety.
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Behavior to Minimize Violence…
don’t have to be noisy or brave, just report it! UNION
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Recap of Filing a Report –MANAGEMENT
Inform supervisor – verbal or written (use State Form)
 If the matter involves your direct supervisor – bypass. Go to next
person in your chain of command.
 Want to go outside your chain of command but within your
Department? Go to your Institution/College/Unit/Department HR
Rep/Senior Rep or Academic or Administrative Officer.
 Want to go outside your Department? Go to:
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–
–
–
–
–
University Human Resources
EOD
University Department of Public Safety
Board of Regents (For Universities and Special Schools Only)
President, American Federation of State, County, and Municipal
Employees, Iowa Council 61
– Chief Operating Officer, Dept of Administrative Services – Human
Resources Enterprise
* * * Be prepared to share your name * * *
* * * Anonymous complaints are difficult to investigate * * *
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Of Course there is a
Report Form! - MGMT
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SECTION 9.80 VIOLENCE-FREE WORKPLACE
REPORT FORM
Last Update: 11/03 - MGMT
STATE OF IOWA
Iowa Department of Administrative Services – Human Resources Enterprise
WORKPLACE VIOLENCE REPORT
Complainant/Witness:
Telephone #:
Department/Division:
Work Location:
Person Completing Form: (Name/Title)
Date:
Telephone #:
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ALLEGED OFFENDER INFORMATION
(Complete the following information, if known)
Name:
Address:
Employer:
Job Title:
Relationship to Complainant/Witness: (For Example: Client, Vendor, Co-Worker, Supervisor, Spouse)
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Law Enforcement Contact
(If Applicable)
Date:
Agency:
Officer(s) Name:
Report Number:
INCIDENT DESCRIPTION
[Describe the alleged incident(s) in detail: who, what, when, where, why, how.]
[Attach additional pages if necessary]
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Confidentiality
- UNION
Confidentiality and safety of all parties will be
protected to the greatest extent possible.
However, legal obligations may require
management to take some action once it is
made aware that violence has occurred or is
threatened, even when an alleged victim is
reluctant to proceed.
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Employee Assistance Program - UNION
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A supervisor should encourage use of the EAP
when an employee is experiencing difficulty coping
with work or personal concerns.
Employees may get additional information from their
supervisor or contact Faculty & Staff
Services/University EAP at:
319-335-2085
State of Iowa EAP
– EAP in Des Moines: 244-6090
– Outside of the Des Moines area:
1-800-EAP-IOWA (515-327-4692)
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References
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- UNION
State of Iowa
– http://das.hre.iowa.gov/
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Union
– www.afscme.org/health/
 University of Iowa Operations Manual Violence Policy
– http://www.uiowa.edu/~our/opmanual/ii/10.htm
 University EAP 319-335-2085
 State of Iowa EAP
– www.efr.org
– 1-800-EAP-IOWA
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State of Iowa & University of Iowa
Violence-Free Workplace
Thank You!
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