(D) Definition of workplace violence
Prohibited workplace violence includes, but is not limited to,
the following:
(1) Prohibited actions
(a) Violence, intimidation, or direct or
implied threats of violence in the workplace.
(b) The use of university property or
resources such as work time, telephones, fax machines, mail, email, internet,
or other means to threaten or harass someone.
(c) All persons are prohibited from carrying
weapons in accordance with rule
3364-61-03
of the Administrative Code, (workplace weapons restriction). Employees who
violate this policy will be subject to corrective action up to and including
termination or criminal prosecution.
(d) Intentionally bring false charges on
another. Employees found in violation will be subject to disciplinary action up
to and including termination.
(e)
Non-employee violations of this policy are subject to restrictions from campus
and applicable local, state and federal laws.
(3)(2)
Examples of prohibited conduct
Specific examples of conduct that may be considered
"threats or acts of violence" prohibited under this policy include, but are not
limited to, the following:
(a) Hitting
or shoving an individual.
(b)
Threatening to harm an individual or his/her family, friends, associates, or
their property.
(c) The intentional
destruction or threat of destruction of property owned, operated, or controlled
by the state.
(d) Making harassing
or threatening telephone calls, or sending harassing or threatening letters or
other forms of written or electronic communications.
(e) Intimidating or attempting to coerce an
employee to do wrongful acts, as defined by applicable law, administrative
rule, policy, or work rule that would affect the business interests of the
state.
(f) The willful, malicious
and repeated following of another person, also known as "stalking," and making
of a credible threat with intent to place the other person in reasonable fear
for his or her safety.
(g) Making a
suggestion or otherwise intimating that an act to injure persons or property is
"appropriate,"
without regard to the location where such suggestion or intimation
occurs.
(h) Unauthorized possession
or inappropriate use of firearms, weapons, or any other dangerous devices on
state property.
(E) Procedure
The workplace violence policy applies to all university
employees, faculty, students, patients, visitors and all individuals who, while
not university employees, perform work both at the university and for its
benefit.
(1) Warning signs, symptoms
and risk factors
The following are examples of warning signs, symptoms, and risk
factors which may indicate an employee's potential for workplace
violence:
(a) Dropping hints about a
knowledge of firearms.
(b) Making
intimidating statements like: "you know what happened at the post office,"
"i'll get even" or "you haven't heard the last from me."
(c) Possessing reading material with themes
of violence, revenge and harassment.
(d) Non-supervisory employees keeping records
of other employees the individual believes to have violated departmental
policy.
(e) Physical signs of hard
breathing, reddening of complexion, menacing stare, loudness, fast profane
speech.
(f) Acting out either
verbally or physically.
(g)
Disgruntled employee or ex-employee who is excessively bitter.
(h) Being a loner.
(i) Having a romantic obsession with a
co-worker who does not share that interest.
(j) History of interpersonal conflict.
Intense anger, lack of empathy.
(k)
Domestic problems, unstable/dysfunctional family.
(l) Brooding, depressed, strange behavior,
"time bomb ready to go off."
(2) Employee responsibilities
(a) Any person experiencing or observing
imminent violence should call campus police immediately at extension
419-530- 2600.
(b) Being familiar with university policy
regarding workplace violence.
(c)
Each employee is required to report any acts or threats of violence to campus
police, the employee's immediate supervisor, and the human resources
and talent development
department.
(d) Employees should
take appropriate measures to ensure the safety of other employees in the event
of an act of violence.
(e)
Employees should not intervene in the event of an act or threat of violence
with a weapon, unless intervention, in the employee's opinion, can be
accomplished without risk of injury to themselves or other employees, or no
other means of achieving the safety of other employees are available.
(f) Each employee shall notify his or her
supervisor of any restraining orders against individuals, employees and
nonemployees that include the workplace or sections thereof.
(g) Employees are required to report to work
mentally fit, emotionally stable, and contribute to a non-threatening work
environment. Employees in need of counseling may seek it through
"IMPACT"
the
employee assistance
program (EAP), see rule
3364-25-20
of the Administrative Code (employee assistance program). Perpetrators of
workplace violence are subject to discipline up to and including termination
and may be required to successfully complete training, assessment, counseling
or treatment.
(
4)(3) Manager
s' and supervisor
s' responsibilities:
(a) Informing employees of the university's
workplace violence policy and program.
(b) Taking all reported incidents of
workplace violence seriously.
(c)
Investigating all acts of violence, threat, and similar disruptive behavior in
a timely fashion and taking necessary action(s).
(d) Supervisors should be alerted to and
aware of these indicators. If an employee exhibits such behavior the employee
should be monitored and such behavior should be documented.
(e) Encouraging employees who show signs of
stress or evidence of possible domestic violence to seek assistance, such as
the employee assistance program.
(5) Human resources
and talent development "HRTD"
responsibilities:
(a) Administers and enforces
all workplace policies.
(b)
Performs pre-employment criminal background screening in accordance with
established guidelines.
(c)
Provides education and information to all employees on workplace
violence.
(d) Works in conjunction
with appropriate management to determine what, if any, corrective action will
be taken against employees violating the workplace violence or other university
policies.
(e) Encourages use of
employee assistance program to assist with physical and emotional abuse, family
and economic counseling, stress management, etc.
(6) Threat management team "TMT"
In a proactive response to workplace violence nation-wide, the
university of Toledo establishes a TMT under the direction of the director of
public safety, to investigate workplace violence incidents and make written
recommendations to assist the university with a best practice response and the
prevention of future workplace violence
incidents. At the request of the
a director of human resources
and talent development or the director of
public safety, the threat management team performs the following
functions:
(a) Meets with the
principals involved in a workplace violence allegation to determine what
occurred.
(b) Evaluates alleged
threat by assessing intent and the capacity and means to fulfill the
threat.
(c) Provides a written
post-incident evaluation to include an assessment of the threat level, the
likelihood of reoccurrences, and any recommendations which may prevent a
reoccurrence.
(d) Provides
information to the victim (if an employee), and the employee's family about
benefits available to them as a result of this incident.
(e) Makes available counseling and any
necessary information to all affected employees and family members.
