Purpose:

To define the guideline that all employees at Platt College have the right to work in an environment free from physical violence, threats and intimidation

Revision Responsibility: President

Responsible Executive Office: President

Created: August 6, 2009, Revised: August 7, 2014 to clarify weapons prohibited on campus

Policy:

Platt College:

• has a strong commitment to its employees to provide a safe, healthy and secure work environment.
• also expects its employees to maintain a high level of productivity and efficiency.
• recognizes that the presence of weapons and the occurrence of violence or threats of violence in the workplace is inconsistent with these objectives.
• expects all employees to report to the work site without possessing weapons and to perform their jobs without violence or threats of violence toward any other individual and to be able to perform their duties in a safe and productive manner. Violence, threats, or intimidation toward any other individual will not be tolerated.
• recognizes that weapons of any kind are prohibited in the workplace.

Coverage:

The provisions of this Guideline apply to all Platt College employees.  In addition, this Guideline applies to any conduct, on or off the work site, which poses a substantial threat to persons or property within the College community.

Definitions used in this Guideline:

Violence or Threats: Include acts of violence or threats of aggression including gestures or oral or written expression which:

• create fear of bodily harm;
• cause or are capable of causing death or bodily injury;
• threaten the safety of a co-worker, student or member of the general public;
• or damage property.

Acts of violence and threats of violence include, but are not limited to: verbal (such as threats, harassment, abuse or intimidation), nonverbal (such as gestures and intimidation), written communication (such as notes, e-mail), physical (such as hitting, pushing, shoving, kicking, touching and assault), and other (such as arson, sabotage, vandalism and stalking).

Weapon: Includes a device, instrument, material or substance used for, or can cause death or bodily injury, or damage to property. Weapons include, but are not limited to: an explosive or an explosive weapon, a device principally designed, made or adapted for delivering or shooting an explosive weapon, a machine gun, a rifle or shotgun, a handgun, a firearm silencer, a switchblade knife or any other type of knife, or brass knuckles, or any other implement for infliction of bodily injury, damage to property, or death which has no common lawful purpose. Pocket knives or knives used solely for eating, food preparation or distribution, are not considered "weapons" for purposes of these Guidelines unless used to inflict bodily injury or damage to property.

On the Work site/In the Workplace: Includes all real property owned or occupied by Platt College, and personal vehicles when performing college business off campus.

Possession: Includes, but is not limited to, the presence of a weapon on the employee, in his/her motor vehicle, desk, lunch box, locker, a tool kit, bag, purse, cabinets, office, etc.

Reasonable Suspicion: The degrees of knowledge sufficient to induce an ordinarily prudent and cautious person to believe that the circumstances being presented are more likely to be true than not. Reasonable suspicion must be based on an articulatory, specific and objective basis and may include direct observation; or information received from a source believed to be reliable.

Employee: For purposes of this guideline, persons receiving a payroll check including full and part-time employees, with exception of student workers.

Guideline Implementation:

It is the responsibility of the administrator responsible for hiring to ensure that all employees are made aware of this Guideline.
Employees who are victims of or witness to violence or threats of violence must immediately report such conduct to local law enforcement, and his/her appropriate college supervisor.

Prohibited Activities:

Platt College specifically prohibits the following and may discipline an employee up to and including dismissal for any of the following:

• use, possession, or sale of any weapon on the work site.
• storing any weapon in a locker, desk, lunch box, tool kit, bag, purse or other repository on the work site.
• refusing to submit to an inspection for the presence of a weapon based on reasonable suspicion.
• refusing to allow inspection of storage areas based on a reasonable suspicion that a weapon or weapons will be found in such area.
• conviction under any criminal statute for the illegal use or possession of a weapon or for committing a violent act against the person or property of another.
• refusing to cooperate in an investigation about allegations or suspicion that violence or threats of violence have or is likely to occur, or an investigation about the possession of a weapon by the employee or a co-employee.
• engaging in violence or threats of violence.

NOTE: Despite laws which provide for permits allowing individuals to carry concealed handguns, it is the policy of the Platt College to prohibit the possession of all weapons, including handguns, on property owned, operated or under the control of Platt College. 

Discipline:

• An employee who violates this Guideline by engaging in any of the prohibited activities of the Workplace Violence Prevention Policy is subject to discipline up to and including immediate dismissal.
• An employee who violates this Guideline by bringing a weapon onto the work site whose employment is not terminated will be subject to searches from time to time, for an indefinite period not to exceed one (1) year from the date of the violation.
• An employee's consent to submit to a search for weapons, based on reasonable suspicion, is required as a condition of continued employment and the employee's refusal to consent may result in disciplinary action, possibly including dismissal.

Reporting:

An employee who witnesses an incident of violence, threats of violence or suspicious behavior, must immediately report such conduct to local law enforcement and his/her appropriate college administrator.
Any employee who is granted a court order requiring any other individual to stay away from the employee's place of work must furnish a copy of the order to College President when practicable.
Supervisory Responsibility - A supervisor who witnesses an incident of violence, threats of violence or suspicious behavior, must immediately report such conduct.

Non-Retaliation:

This Guideline also prohibits retaliation against employees who report incidents of threats, violence, intimidating conduct, or weapons possession. Any employee bringing complaint or assisting in the investigation of such a complaint will not be adversely affected in terms and conditions of employment, discriminated against or discharged because of the complaint.