Human Resources Classified Staff
Policy and Procedures

Policy # 401.1
Effective: 1/27/03
Section: Employee Relations
Subject: Workplace Violence

POLICY

The University of Arizona is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace for all employees. It is the policy of the University of Arizona that workplace violence in any form is unacceptable. Any form of violence by an employee against another employee, student, vendor or visitor to the University, including but not limited to physical attack, intimidation, threats or property damage, will be cause for disciplinary action up to and including dismissal as unacceptable personal conduct and may also result in criminal prosecution, if federal, state or local laws are violated.

This policy covers every employee of the University, whether full-time, part-time, permanent or temporary, student employees, and anyone employed by or who is an agent of the University of Arizona. It covers all employees while engaged in any activity related to their employment with the University, whether on University property or elsewhere.

Definitions

Prohibited acts of workplace violence include but are not limited to threats, intimidation, physical attack or property damage. For purposes of this policy, the following definitions will apply:

• Threats: A "threat" is the expression of intent to cause physical or mental harm. Such an expression constitutes a threat without regard to whether the person communicating the threat has the ability to carry it out, and without regard to whether the threat is made on a present, conditional or future basis. In determining whether the conduct constitutes a threat, including whether the action caused a reasonable apprehension of harm, the University will consider the totality of the circumstance.
• Physical Attack: A "physical attack" is, without limitation, unwanted or hostile physical contact such as hitting, pushing, kicking, shoving, throwing of objects or fighting.
• Intimidation: "Intimidation" includes but is not limited to stalking or engaging in actions, either verbal or physical, which are intended to frighten or coerce.
• Property Damage: "Property damage" is intentional damage to or destruction of property owned by the University or its students, employees, vendors or visitors.

Elements of Policy

An employee who believes that he or she has been the target of workplace violence must report this to the Police Department, his or her supervisor or manager, and to Human Resources. Employees who observe incidents of workplace violence should file reports of alleged workplace violence with the appropriate supervisors, with the University of Arizona Police Department and with Human Resources as soon as is reasonably possible. In emergency situations, call the Police Department by dialing "911."

Supervisors are responsible to respond in a prompt and effective fashion either when notified of an alleged incident of workplace violence, or when they observe workplace violence, and to contact Human Resources for guidance and assistance in handling such situations in the workplace. A Human Resources professional will conduct a full and prompt investigation. In emergency situations, supervisors will call the Police. The University will institute disciplinary action as appropriate and will follow up with victims and any witnesses to an incident of workplace violence, preserving, to the extent required by law or policy, the privacy interests of those involved.

The University encourages all employees to be alert to the possibility of violence on the part of students, former students, employees, former employees, customers and strangers. The University will handle any report of violence in a confidential manner, to the extent permitted by law and policy, and will release information related to such reports only on a need-to-know basis. The University prohibits retaliation against or harassment of individuals who act in good faith by reporting real or perceived violent behavior or violations of this policy.

The University prohibits individuals from making deliberately false or misleading reports of violence or threats of violence under this policy. Individuals who make such reports will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal under the University's disciplinary policies.

Workplace Violence Crisis Management Team

The University has created a Workplace Violence Crisis Management Team to assess and review workplace violence issues and incidents. The Workplace Violence Crisis Management Team is composed of the HR Director of Institutional Relations (Coordinating Chair), a representative from the University Attorneys' Office, the Chief of Police or designee, the Director of Life & Work Connections, the Director of Risk Management and Safety, and other ad hoc members as are deemed necessary on a case-by-case basis.

The functions of the Workplace Violence Crisis Management team are to:

• make recommendations to the employing department head and other appropriate persons on safety issues that have an impact on employees;
• develop a plan of action for risk assessment;
• communicate with the public, employees and families on incidents of workplace violence;
• conduct investigations and post-incident analyses to ensure compliance with appropriate policies and procedures; and
• collect and monitor data relating to violence in the workplace.