Category Archives: Workplace Violence

CIA Cracks Down On Bullying & Harassment

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An internal CIA document obtained by the Associated Press shows that the agency is disciplining abusive managers: 

“…These days, the CIA says it has a zero tolerance policy toward workplace harassment. And an agency document obtained by The Associated Press said 15 CIA employees were disciplined for committing sexual, racial or other types of harassment last year. That included a supervisor who was removed from the job after engaging in “bullying, hostile behavior,” and an operative who was sent home from an overseas post for inappropriately touching female colleagues, said the document, an internal message to the agency’s workforce.

The examples cited in the message, sent several weeks ago in an email by the director of the agency’s Office of Equal Employment Opportunity, were meant to show how the CIA is enforcing its strict policy. Continue reading →

Town Updates Workplace Violence Policy to Prevent Bullying

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How hard is it to protect your employees and bottom line from workplace bullying? One upstate town in New York simply expanded their workplace violence policy.  Read this week’s article by Nancy Fischer in the Buffalo News (3/4/14):

City policy on workplace bullying is adopted by Council in North Tonawanda

NORTH TONAWANDA – Bullying has gotten a lot of attention among schoolchildren, but hostile work environments and bullying behavior in the workplace are now being addressed by a bill in the State Legislature.

In advance of the proposed legislation, the North Tonawanda Common Council unanimously adopted its own measure Tuesday, updating its 2009 Workplace Violence Prevention Policy with specific language to address bullying.

The Council did not discuss the policy, but Mayor Robert G. Ortt said after the meeting that bullying is a “real deal” that goes beyond schools, even to the case involving the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League.

“I think if you are going to ask kids to behave a certain way, there’s no reason not to expect adults to behave in the same manner,” Ortt said. Continue reading →

Gov’t Agency Addresses Bullying To Create “Violence-Free Workplace”

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Can the Federal Government protect their employees from bullying? At least one agency can –here’s the workplace bullying policy posted on the NIH website. Warm thoughts to all who have been furloughed during the shutdown: 

“Anti-Bullying Statement”

The Department of Health and Human Services is committed to providing a safe and positive work environment for all employees.  Recently, press coverage and technology use has shed light on the issue of bullying, bringing real time images of inappropriate behavior to our homes and workplace.  Bullying occurs when people use their power, via verbal, physical or other means to control or harm others. Often, the victims have a hard time defending themselves.  It usually involves repeated negative behavior. Continue reading →

SEIU Uses Workplace Violence Policy To Stop Bullying

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What’s the best way to address workplace bullying?  California’s largest union (SEIU 1000) decided to do it by simply expanding the workplace violence portion of their Dignity Clause (See documents below). Each state department is required to maintain and distribute a “workplace violence & bullying” policy to their employees.  Just north of us, Ontario Bill 168 does the same thing. Unions have played an historic role in America as the advocate for the voiceless worker and this of course begs the question – why haven’t union leaders made this case to legislators to follow Ontario’s lead in using workplace violence as the basis of legislative protection for millions of suffering workers? Continue reading →

Using Workplace Violence Policies To Stop Workplace Bullying

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Public Employees: Connecticut

edith pragueSeveral years ago Connecticut State Senator Edith Prague wanted to pass workplace bullying legislation for public employees. The opposition argued that it was already covered under workplace violence policies and a study was requested to determine if it was indeed included. I was filming Prague’s support of the Healthy Workplace Bill at the time and remember well that she was passionate about the topic and surprised to learn that the handbook policies put in place after a tragic workplace 1998 shooting nearly 10 years earlier actually did address bullying behavior. The 2008 report concluded that: Continue reading →

Mike Rice and Prevention Policies #FAIL

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Screen Shot 2013-04-04 at 8.13.04 AMVideo of Mike Rice screaming at, pushing, and throwing basketballs at student players has gone viral. How did the video become public? NBC reports: “Because whatever spat that Rice got into with former staff member Eric Murdock couldn’t be resolved cordially. Murdock did not have his contract renewed by the university, so he blew the whistle. He went to Rice’s boss and tried to get him fired. When that didn’t work, he went to Outside The Lines and made sure that the world saw the video, because if the world didn’t see the video, Rutgers was going to do nothing more than smack Rice on the wrist and sweep this under the rug.” Continue reading →