Preventing and Managing "Dual Employee" Domestic Violence
Photo: Concho Valley News
On the morning of April 1st, in the normally quiet town of San Angelo, Texas, a 57-year-old male employee of the Lone Star Beef Processing plant entered the workplace armed with a concealed handgun. There he encountered and began arguing with a 49-year-old female employee with whom he was in an intimate partner relationship.
At some point during their altercation, the male withdrew his weapon and shot his girlfriend in the torso, then killed himself in the presence of their mutual co-workers. The building was evacuated, thus shutting down production and initiating an in-depth investigation by local police. "I heard the loud noise and thought someone dropped something," one terrified employee recalled. "Then I saw people running." Both parties were transported to a nearby hospital where the shooter was pronounced dead. Fortunately, the injured female employee survived.
It is not clear how much the employer was aware of in this tragic situation, if they knew there were problems between the couple, or if they even knew they were in a relationship as many of their co-workers did. Regardless of the extent of the employer's insight, it is doubtless that this incident will impact the entire workplace and community, perhaps even being a career-ending event for the victim or her traumatized co-workers.
Domestic violence cases in which both the victim and abuser work for the same company are known as "dual employee" cases, and they are far more common than one might think. Abusers often insist that their victim get a job where they work or will seek employment where the victim works, with the purpose of monitoring their partner's behavior and communications. This scenario can create a myriad of problems for the employer, ranging from reduced productivity and morale, to horrific acts of workplace violence. In some cases, domestic abuse can combine with pre-existing grievances toward the employer, particularly when an abusive employee is terminated. This may result in acts of "hybrid violence", in which supervisors and co-workers also become targets of an enraged current or former employee.
The first step to preventing such situations is for employers to increase their awareness of the domestic violence that may already be affecting their workforce. This can be accomplished by creating a comprehensive employee awareness campaign which highlights company policy, provides reporting avenues and resources, and de-stigmatizes the issue of domestic violence, thereby developing a culture of supportive trust and encouraging employee disclosures. Training key staff in recognizing and responding to domestic violence (in both victims and abusers) is also crucial, so that the employer can enhance their visibility of these cases and facilitate early intervention.
Once an employer knows that a dual employee situation has arisen, there are a variety of steps they can take to increase safety. This may include accommodations such as changing work locations to separate the employees, staggering shifts, or providing flexible alternatives like work-from-home arrangements. They can also eliminate or oversee employee interactions and make sure both parties are informed about the expectations and consequences of the company's workplace violence policy. Victims can be offered both internal and external assistance and perpetrators can be monitored for misuse of company resources. Keep in mind however, that confronting an abusive employee can be a delicate and potentially dangerous matter, so employers should receive training and consultation in this area before attempting to intervene. Orders of protection in a dual employee case can also present some complex legal and logistical issues for employers, so it is best to seek professional guidance from an attorney, as well as a workplace domestic violence subject matter expert.
Presage Consulting and Training, LLC specializes solely in the assessment and management of domestic violence threat to the workplace, providing comprehensive education and customized case, program, and policy guidance to employers worldwide. If we can be of assistance to your organization, please contact info@presagetraining.com
