Trouble at Home Can Follow Employees to Work

Trouble at Home Can Follow Employees to Work

he estranged partner of a Social Security Administration employee shot his way into the East New York SSA office in May, teaching managers and employees a fast and bloody lesson about the danger of domestic violence spilling over at work. The fact that Social Security had done the right thing in response to the employee's fears-transferring her to a different office just the day before the incident-made the episode all the more tragic.

The gunman-shot dead by police after firing at them-did not shoot anyone, but the incident shook employees, many of whom knew and had socialized with him. Social Security managers sought to salvage some good from the incident by widely disseminating the lessons they learned, but domestic violence remains a difficult and dangerous matter for many federal managers and employees.

In October 1995, President Clinton ordered agencies to create programs to promote employee awareness of domestic violence and provide resources to victims. "Domestic violence is not a private, family dispute that affects only the people involved," Clinton wrote. It "affects us all, regardless of race, income or age . . . it means higher health care costs, increased absenteeism, and declining productivity. It destroys family relationships and lives."

The vast majority of adult domestic violence victims are women targeted by men, though violence can occur between housemates, relatives or same-sex partners. More than 40 percent of all women murdered die at the hands of an intimate friend or partner. Women also are more likely than men to be attacked at work by someone they know, according to the Justice Department.

Family violence presents two key problems for federal managers: helping the victims and preventing spillover at work. Here are some tips for resolving them.

• Don't ignore signs of abuse in a colleague. Say what you've noticed, ask whether the person needs help and encourage him or her to contact the employee assistance program.
• If you're a manager approached by an employee fearing violence, ask questions. Find out if there's a history of violence at home and if so, what kind. Ask whether the perpetrator has weapons, has committed crimes or abuses drugs or alcohol. Ask if the employee is afraid because of a specific event such as having moved out or receiving a court order of protection. See if she or he would be willing to talk with the EAP and allow the manager to inform other employees of the situation.
• Find out whether the perpetrator knows where the employee works, has visited the office, or knows other staffers. Ask for a photograph of the person.
• Using the information gathered, inform security staffers, arrange flexible work hours if the victim needs them and consider transferring the person.
• Discuss with agency legal counsel under what conditions other employees need to be told a colleague may be in danger.

The East New York incident drove home several lessons about workplace violence. Thanks to a building guard's signal, the office manager was able to get employees out of the back office before the gunman shot his way in from the reception area. The experience showed the importance of thinking ahead about safety signals, evacuation, office layouts and furniture. "We were fortunate not to have modular furniture so the manager could see the guard," says Paul Doersam, executive officer to New York Regional Social Security Commissioner Beatrice Disman. "Modular furniture makes the place like a maze. We pay more attention to dead ends, clear routes of egress. All offices in the region are to conduct evacuation drills."

Disman went immediately to the scene after the incident, taking with her Liz Ojakian, director of the employee assistance program for federal agencies in New York. Ojakian urges employees and managers to begin talking about domestic violence before trouble erupts.