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Abstract: 

The Obama Administration has focused considerable efforts on combatting domestic violence in the federal workplace. In April 2012, President Obama issued a memorandum that called for the federal government, as the nation’s largest employer, to develop policies to serve as models for addressing domestic violence in the workplace. The memorandum required all federal agencies to send their policies and practices for addressing domestic violence in the workplace to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Upon receipt of this information, OPM was directed to issue guidance to all federal agencies about the steps agencies can take for: improvement of their response to domestic violence in the workplace; the development of leave policies relating to domestic violence; formation of guidelines on appropriate disciplinary action against employees who commit acts of domestic violence; implementation of mechanisms to enhance workplace safety related to domestic violence; and identification of resources for highlighting relevant best practices related to domestic violence. Subsequently, in September 2012, the federal Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) released the results of a study that examined violence in the federal workplace. This article discusses that study, its findings and recommendations.

Keywords: victims of domestic violence experience a range of employment-related issues

Affiliations:  1: Editor, Domestic Violence Report.