How to Deal with Workplace Stalking and Harassment | Business ...

Having to deal with stalking or harassment might not be an obvious HR issue that comes to mind as an employer. Stalking, however, is a highly prevalent crime. In any year, six million people in the US are affected by stalking. One in four women and one in six men are stalked at some point during their lifetime, and the majority of those affected are stalked by someone they know ? including work colleagues.

Just this month, a Michigan woman was charged with stalking in the first degree ? a Class D felony. 47-year-old Monica Ann Witsken reportedly stalked 1st Source Bank CEO Christopher J. Murphy III, and sent life-threatening messages to the banker.

As an employer, the US Department of Labor decrees that you have a duty of care to take steps that will protect your employees from harm while they are at work. Therefore, it?s important that you?re aware of the risks associated with stalking so you can take necessary action to protect your employee, and your company, if you need to.

What is stalking?

A lot of misconceptions exist around stalking, so let?s start by defining what it actually is. According to the Stalking Resource Center, stalking is defined as ?a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear.?

This definition can span a number of behaviors, including but not limited to:

• Following and unwanted attention
• Phone calls
• Texts
• Emails
• Unwanted gifts
• Contacting third parties for information
• The use of GPS or mobile technology to track movements
• False accusations
• Damage to property and vandalism

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Although the majority of stalking victims are women, around 30-40% of victims are male. As an employer, you might be affected by stalking and harassment in two different contexts:

• One of your staff members is stalked by another employee
• One of your employees is stalked by someone outside the company

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Employer Responsibilities

Stalking is a federal crime in all 50 states, although the details and severity of the laws on stalking differ from state to state. As well as having a duty of care towards your employees, it?s important to remember that stalking will severely affect an employee?s work performance. Therefore, it?s in the best interests of your company ? as well as being an ethical duty ? to do what you can to support the employee until the situation is resolved.

End Stalking in America recommends instituting a Threat Management Program that outlines policies and procedures regarding threats to company employees, and how management will respond to this kind of behavior. Even if your organization has never been affected by stalking, implementing one of these policies now will help protect your staff, and you as the manager, if this kind of situation arises in the future.

The steps you can take to protect employees from harm caused by stalking and harassment depend on the situation:

One of your employees is stalked by someone outside the company

• Alert all other staff to the issue, providing a description or a picture of the stalking if possible.
• Encourage the employee to keep a diary of all stalking activity if they aren?t already doing so.
• Ask another staff member to field the victim?s calls.
• Ask a staff member (preferably male if the victim is female) to escort the employee to and from her vehicle.
• Set up a phone buddy system, where the employee can call another staff member when they are leaving their home at the beginning of the day, and again when they arrive back safely at the end of the day.
• Most importantly, listen to the employee and accept what they are saying.
• Call the police if you fear an employee might be in danger.

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When one of your staff members is being stalked by another employee

• Move the employee accused of stalking to a different department or area of the office if possible.
• Encourage the employee reporting the harassment to document everything and obtain evidence where possible.
• If the harassment continues, explain to the offending employee how their behavior contravenes company policy and explain the repercussions.
• Implement the necessary steps above for the employee that is being harassed.

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Stalking Risk Profile recommends against mediation, unless the victim is willing to do so. Mediation can be another form of traumatization for victims who want nothing more to do with their stalker, and it?s important to respect their feelings.

Stalking is a complex and potentially deadly crime that can often be hard to understand or explain. Dealing with this kind of crime is incredibly challenging for everyone involved, however you can reach out to third parties for help. The Stalking Resource Center has a range of resources covering different aspects of stalking and the National Center for Victims of Crime offers a helpline service for immediate advice and information.

Supporting your employee could make all the difference to how they are affected by stalking. By developing your company?s awareness of this issue, you?ve already taken the first step towards keeping employees safe.

Source: https://www.businessfinancestore.com/2012/10/25/how-to-deal-with-workplace-stalking-and-harassment/

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