Frequently, employers are hesitant about involving themselves with an employee’s personal relationships.

Privacy is a legitimate concern, and finding the proper boundary between private and business affairs can be a difficult and sensitive matter. But domestic violence and stalking that come through the workplace door appropriately become the employer’s concern too. Just as a business takes responsibility for protecting its workers from assaults or robberies by outsiders, it is also responsible for protecting them against stalking or other possible crimes by domestic partners. Studies have shown that the most common stalking situations that law enforcement has to deal with are those based upon some type of personal relationship, with women primarily being victimized by males as a result of this behavior. However, in a smaller percentage of cases, both men and women can be stalked and harassed by casual acquaintances or strangers.

*University of Iowa Injury Prevention Research Center. Workplace Violence: A Report to the Nation. (Iowa City, Iowa: February 2001) p. 12. 42 The Following Observable Behavior May Suggest Possible Victimization*

  • Tardiness or unexplained absences
  • Frequent–and often unplanned–use of leave time
  • Anxiety
  • Lack of concentration
  • Change in job performance
  • A tendency to remain isolated from coworkers or reluctance to participate in social events
  • Discomfort when communicating with