Guide to Managing Human Resources
Appendix F
Dealing with Threatening or Potentially Violent Behavior
Introduction
The Behavior Risk Assessment Team (BRAT) was established in response to concerns expressed by members of the campus community about behavior they saw as threatening, harassing, intimidating, or potentially violent. BRAT coordinates responses to concerns raised by staff, students, and faculty.
The Behavior Risk Assessment Team is composed of several campus units with special expertise and professional training. These units work together to systematically assess and address behavior perceived as disruptive, intimidating, threatening, or violent. The team is intended to augment existing systems and is convened when departments need help responding to a situation.
In January, 1998, the Chancellor reissued a directive that states in part:
Each one of us shares responsibility for creating and maintaining a community in which we can work together in an atmosphere of respect and civility towards each other, free of all forms of harassing and threatening behaviors... Supervisors and managers have the responsibility to take seriously any reported threats and, if necessary, to seek appropriate assistance.
Definition
Threatening or violent behavior means any physical or verbal act, threat, or assault that causes physical or emotional damage, or damage or sabotage to physical, electronic, or intellectual property.
This definition includes, but is not limited to, acts of aggression such as yelling at a colleague, erasing a hard disk of data accumulated on University time on University property, turning off an incubator and destroying someone's research, yelling at or punching someone, pounding on desks, slamming doors, blocking or cornering, and sending threatening voice-mails, e-mails, or other written threats.
Types of Violence
The California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (CalOSHA) classifies violence into three types:
Type I
Violence is committed by someone who has no legitimate relationship to the workplace and enters to commit a robbery or other criminal act. In this type, an assailant enters to commit a robbery or other crime and attacks an employee. Vulnerable staff include those working alone or in small groups and people who handle money.
Type II
An assailant attacks or threatens someone who provides services to clients such as medical practitioners, financial aid counselors, mental health workers, etc.
Type III
In this type, an assailant who has some employment-related involvement with the workplace commits or threatens a violent act. The assailant can be a current or former employee, a supervisor or manager, an employee's current or former spouse or lover, a relative or friend, or some other person who has a dispute involving a member of the workplace. Almost anyone can become a victim of this type of violence.
Staff, students, and faculty need to be aware of all three types of violence and to be familiar with available measures of protection.
What you can do
To prevent the escalation of incidents, every member of the campus community should learn to recognize and report behavior that is disruptive or could lead to violent events. Employees should be trained to report any assault or direct threat to you, to their managers, or to other University representatives, and to the UC Police Department.
As a supervisor, you should take immediate steps to address problem behavior and ensure the safety of your employees. This may include calling the police, who may take a report and/or arrest the responsible individual if a crime has been committed.
- If you or employees experience an immediate threat, dial 9-911 (911 from a non-University phone).
- If you believe you need help with assessing a particular situation, contact one of the following team members:
- When a situation involves faculty, staff and/or students:
Director, University Health Services @ 642-6621
Chief, UC Police Department @ 642-6760
- When a situation involves primarily student behavior:
Director, Student Activities and Services @ 642-6770
Manager, Office of Student Conduct @ 642-7470
- When a situation involves primarily staff behavior:
Manager, Employee Relations, Human Resources @ 642-9479
Do not ignore or downplay direct or indirect threats from any person, as they could escalate into serious incidents later on. Work with your manager and your Department Personnel Manager, your Employee Relations Specialist in Human Resources, and CARE Services to develop and implement an integrated action plan to address the problem behavior.
Managers and supervisors in your department might wish to discuss and plan for preventing and responding to such issues, including educating staff, students, and faculty. You should take into account the nature of your work, your location, staffing, and other unique features such as whether your unit handles cash or is responsible for issues that people feel passionate about.
Some actions to consider
- Conduct a workplace security survey. (UC Police Department - Crime Prevention Unit is available to assist you).
- Train staff, students, and faculty to safely respond to hostile individuals.
- Communicate the Chancellor's January, 1998 statement to all staff, students, and faculty.
- Establish a departmental procedure for reporting harassment, threats, or acts of violence; train all to report all such incidents rather than retaliate.
- If written plans or procedures are developed, consider incorporation into your department Injury and Illness Prevention Plan. (Environment, Health and Safety is available as a resource).
- Where possible, limit access to the workplace by non-employees.
- Follow the appropriate campus policy for taking disciplinary and discharge/dismissal actions with consultation from appropriate campus resources.
- Never ignore threats! Consult and document where appropriate.
- If there is a threat, consider temporarily relocating the threatened employee's workstation to a more secure area, screening incoming phone calls, providing an escort, and other protective measures.
- Be aware of potential conflicts between employees and take action to resolve them before they grow.
- If someone enters your workplace with a weapon, 1) immediately contact UC Police at 9-911 and your Building Coordinator; 2) leave the area with as many others as possible; if not possible, hide and protect yourself; 3) do not try to negotiate with the assailant.
- Plan for responding to staff needs after an incident by using available resources such as CARE Services.
- Retain evidence -- voice mail, email and/or any other written messages perceived to be threatening.
Some Warning Signs
Even though this section lists some behaviors that may indicate a potential for violence, it is important to keep in mind that these characteristics do not necessarily predict violence and that some violent people may display no symptoms at work. Use common sense when assessing colleagues. Managers and supervisors are urged to respond EVERY time to threats, intimidation, and/or violence. Keep in mind that these characteristics may apply to many of the most productive employees, most of whom would never commit a violent act. In cases where a person's actions are ambiguous, ask yourself and train your staff to consider these two questions:
- Does this behavior scare me?
- How do other people whose opinions I respect feel about this?
Commonly identified behaviors that may signal the potential for violence:
- Has outbursts of rage and anger and may intimidate others.
- Cooperates poorly with others.
- Blames others for own problems.
- Displays changes in work patterns such as tardiness or absenteeism.
- Demonstrates extreme or bizarre behavior, or deep depression.
- Is often involved with alcohol or drugs.
- Has had a recent loss.
- Is disgruntled more than usual about work and is fixated on perceived injustices.
- Exhibits low self-esteem.
- Engages in sabotage behavior.
- Has a history of violent behavior.
- Shows an extreme interest in or obsession with weapons, e.g., paramilitary training, weapons collections, compulsive reading of gun magazines.
- Discusses weapons excessively at work, carries a concealed weapon, or flashes a weapon to test reactions.
- Makes either direct or veiled verbal threats of harm (e.g., predicts that bad things are going to happen to a co-worker or supervisor).
- Intimidates or instills fear in co-workers or supervisors. (This includes verbal as well as physical intimidation.) Examples include harassing phone calls and stalking.
- Has an obsessive involvement with the job, often with no apparent outside interests. (This trait is usually coupled with failed or strained outside relationships. The workplace becomes the person's sole source of identity.)
- Is a loner who has little involvement with co-workers, with the possible exception of a romantic interest in another employee. This interest is frequently so intense that the targeted employee will feel threatened and may want to report the unwanted attention as sexual harassment.
- Is fascinated with recent incidents of workplace violence and approves of the use of violence under similar circumstances.
- Shows an escalating propensity to push the limits of normal conduct, disregarding the safety of co-workers.
- Is paranoid, panics easily, and often perceives that the whole world is against him or her.
- Handles criticism poorly and has problems with people in authority; holds grudges, especially against a supervisor, and often verbalizes a hope for something to happen to the person against whom the employee has a grudge.
- Expresses extreme desperation over recent family, financial, or personal problems.
Conclusion
The Chancellor's January, 1998 statement best summarizes the desired outcomes:
The cooperation of everyone is a crucial part of keeping our campus safe. I ask for your commitment and assistance in ensuring that the essential University mission can be achieved in a safe and healthy environment.
Available Training
Violence in the workplace:
Adan Tejada, UC Police Department, 642-3679
Customer Service
See The Career Place
Conflict Management
Staff Ombuds Office, 642-7823
Dealing with Difficult Behavior
Staff Ombuds Office, 642-7823
Health and Safety Training for Supervisors
Environment, Health, and Safety, 642-8676
University Health Services: Health Matters, 642-7324