Domestic Violence And The Workplace

from The Hartford Courant

-A 2005 national survey found that 21 percent of full-time employed adults were victims of domestic violence.

- In a survey of 7,000 women, 37 percent said domestic violence hurt their job performance.

- Domestic violence victims annually lose nearly 8 million days of paid work — the equivalent of more than 30,000 full-time jobs — and nearly 5.6 million days of household productivity as a result of violence.

- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the annual cost of lost productivity due to domestic violence equals $727.8 million.

- The national health care costs of domestic violence (often absorbed by employers) are high, with direct medical and mental health care services for victims amounting to $4.1 billion.

- Employers who fail to protect their employees may be liable. Jury awards for inadequate security lawsuits average $1.2 million nationwide and settlements average $600,000.

- In one study, 66 percent of corporate leaders identified domestic violence as a major social issue.

- Only 4 percent of all workplaces train employees on domestic violence and its impact on the workplace.

- 21 states have enacted mandatory or suggested workplace policies that require employers to assist victims of domestic violence by granting leave to victims who need to address their situation, the use of prevention programs, and the prohibition of discrimination against an employee for being a victim of domestic violence.