Sexual Harassment/Domestic Violence in the Workplace

I recently read a Blog Post by Nancy Germond entitled Sexual Harassment Training Still a Necessity. In the post she refers to a case where a Queens, New York, jury recently awarded $15 million to a nurse who was allegedly harassed by a physician over a 12-year period. Although hospital officials contend they were unaware of Miller’s behavior, the jury said, "Maybe not." Ordering the physician, Dr. Matthew Miller, 61, and the Flushing hospital to split the cost of the verdict.
She goes on to describe what an organization can do. Review risk policies, refer to a human resource professional, ensure all employees receive a copy of the policy and confirm a receipt. Create a confidential reporting system and ensuring employees that report incidents are not penalized for doing so. Even the appearance of a penalty -- for example, transferring the complainant and not the perpetrator -- can cost your organization.
For those of you that have visited my website and or followed this blog, “Do you get where I am going yet?” Does the above advice sound familiar to you? It could almost be exchanged for domestic violence in the workplace training.
The largest settlement I am currently aware of in a domestic violence workplace incident was as a result of a murder suicide that took place in Tacoma WA. On April 26, 2003, the Tacoma Chief of Police killed his wife and then himself. Crystal Brame suffered years of abuse at the hands of her husband David Brame In the fall of 2005 the city of Tacoma was ordered in a civil suit to pay $12M to Crystal Brame’s family
Neither domestic violence or sexual harassment will be tolerated. It will become increasingly expensive for companies that do not create and carry out good policies, procedures and trainings in violation of the Safety in the Workplace laws to protect their employees.

Pamela

Woman Assaulted By Ex-Husband Sues his Employer

No, this is not an April 1, joke. The courts are taking domestic violence very seriously. A woman assaulted by her ex- husband with a hammer has filed suit against his former employer claiming he got the hammer he used in the attack from his old workplace. He made threats to employees there that he intended to harm her. The woman suffered numerous contusions, cuts, and injuries to her head, neck, back and leg, a broken finger and vision abnormalities as a result of the attack. Her ex-husband pleaded guilty to attempted murder and was sentenced to a 19-year prison term. Source: Newstime.com March 26, 2009, Danbury CT.
The outcome of this lawsuit is yet to be decided. Whether you agree or disagree with the premise of who’s responsible for supplying the hammer, it does send another message to employers that domestic violence carried into the workplace will not be tolerated.