Robert Nobile and Sharon Ongerth Rossi Published in HR Advisor
"Workplace Violence: Risks, Prevention and Practical Advice"

Robert Nobile and Sharon Ongerth Rossi's article, "Workplace Violence: Risks, Prevention and Practical Advice," was published in the March/April 2010 issue of HR Advisor. In their article, the authors offer practical advice to employers on workplace violence. According to Bob and Sharon, the law does not impose a general duty on employers to protect employees from criminal attacks, however, such a duty may arise when the employer has reason to believe that its workers face a risk of imminent danger while acting within the scope of their employment. They explain that "employers may face liability if they know or should have known of a credible threat of violence facing their employees and failed to take reasonable steps to prevent violence from occurring in the workplace." Bob and Sharon also discuss how employers can prevent workplace violence and how they should respond to threats.

The authors point out, "Given the state of our economy, the loss of jobs in this country, and the mounting pressures on everyone in society generally, the likelihood is that incidents of workplace violence will increase." As a result, Bob and Sharon suggest that employers be proactive in establishing a viable background screening program, and zero-tolerance policy for addressing threats or other incidents of violence that may occur. They note that these efforts "along with constant vigilance and awareness of the telltale signs of behavior which often lead to violence in the workplace, and prompt remedial handling of potentially problematic employees, are the only ways employers can minimize their exposure to legal liability.…"