SHOULD KNOW

THE VICTIM CENTER

In Southwest Missouri

1041 E Walnut

Workplace homicide, which occurs at a rate of four per day, is the leading cause of death at work for women, and the second leading cause for men;

In 1992, the Centers for Disease Control declared workplace homicide a serious public health epidemic requiring priority attention by policy makers;

Murder and other violent crimes in the workplace have escalated to the point that the U.S. Department of Justice recently proclaimed the workplace the most dangerous place to be in America;

One out of every six violent crimes experience by U.S. residents age twelve or older happens in the workplace;

Six out of ten incidents of workplace violence occur in private companies;

A single incident of workplace violence can cost employers as much as $250,000 in lost work time and legal expenses;

In 1992, workplace violence cost U.S. companies $4.2 billion dollars in lost work and legal expenses?

As an employer, you carry a degree of legal responsibility regarding the safety of your employees while on duty. There are three sources of legal liability:

Vicarious Liability

Under the Doctrine of Vicarious Liability employers are liable employer are liable for the actions of their employees committed within the course and scope of employment. Just because a violent act is intentional and unlawful does not necessarily remove the act from the scope of employment.

Negligence

Negligent hiring, retention, and supervision can be used to hold employers liable for the violent acts of their employees. These types of lawsuits have resulted in millions of dollars in settlements, bad publicity, and increased insurance costs for employers.

OSHA

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act employers have a duty to furnish a safe workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm.

The Victim Center offers two services to employers concerned about or dealing with workplace violence.

This program was developed for business owners and members of the management team. The program is presented in a three to four hour format and can be tailored to fit your organization’s needs. The program is designed to provide a better understanding of basic liability issues, effective pre-employment screening and hiring strategies, and the development and implementation of effective policies and practices for preventing and responding to potentially violent behaviors.

The Victim Center provides trained professionals to come to the workplace and provide crisis intervention to employers following an incident of workplace violence. The crisis debriefing assists employees in addressing fears and anxieties about the victimization and helps them begin to move forward to recover.

Scope of Workplace Violence

Statistics

Financial Impact

Liabilities of Employers

Vicarious Liability

Negligent Retention Doctrine

OSHA

Effective Pre-Employment Screening

Evaluating Applications

Interviewing Techniques

Background Checks

Sexual Harassment

What Is It?

How to Deter It

Effective Policies

Policies and Procedures

Evaluation of Existing Policies

Components of Effective Polices and Procedures

Implementation Strategies

Responding to a Crisis

Intervention Techniques

Community Resources

The Victim Center, established in 1976 as a rape crisis center, has developed into a comprehensive victim services organization. The Center serves victims of violent and sexual crime in Springfield and Southwest Missouri.

The mission of The Victim Center is to provide:

Prevention education to help community members avoid victimization;

24-hour crisis intervention to assist victims immediately following trauma;

Counseling for those who have been victimized;

Support and interfacing with the police, criminal justice system, and medical personnel.

All services provided on a non-discriminatory basis.