Domestic Violence Workplace Safety

Having a domestic violence workplace safety plan may save more than just your life. As embarrassing as it may seem, before you return to work, you must discuss a domestic violence workplace safety plan with your boss.

If it is not safe to return to work, your boss may have some advice to help you move forward. You may be able to move to a different position and location, if you work for a large company.

If it is safe to return to work, take a copy of your restraining order and a picture of your abuser with you for your boss.

Give your boss a list of emergency telephone numbers to have on file.

Make sure your desk is not positioned in view of a window.

Find a place to hide in the building.

Know where all the exits are. Map out an escape route to the different exits of the building from your work station.

A domestic violence workplace safety plan should have a safety team with a code word in case of an emergency. Each person on the safety team should know what your abuser looks like.

Have an understanding that while the restraining order is in affect, if your abuser shows up at your office, the police are called as soon as the receptionist gives the code word.

For example: the code word may be a different name for your boss. The receptionist refers to your boss by the code name for this situation and say they are looking for you. Now your boss can alert you to hide and call the police. I recommend the receptionist quietly leave her station JUST BEFORE the police arrive to pick up your abuser waiting in the reception area. You stay hidden until your boss, or the police retrieve you. Honestly, your abuser probably won't wait for long in the reception area. If your abuser leaves the reception area, the receptionist should leave the building and wait for the police.

Let other department leaders know the situation in case of an emergency. The more people moved away from the front office without drawing attention the better. The receptionist should only make the first phone call looking for you and then go back to usual work. All other notification should happen from others.

Let co-workers, or your boss know when you are leaving the building and when you expect to return... "Good night, see you in the morning." People aware and watching is another safety precaution. If your car is in the parking lot when they leave, or you don't show up for work in the morning, someone knows to call the police.

Do not enter, or leave the office building alone if you can avoid it.

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