POLICY REGARDING WORKPLACE THREATS AND VIOLENCE The safety and security of its employees, students and visitors is of utmost importance to the University of North Alabama. Threats, acts of violence or threatening behavior against students, employees, visitors, third party vendors or other individuals by anyone on University property or on property controlled by the University will not be tolerated. Threats, acts of violence or threatening behavior includes but is not limited to: Physical acts, the intentional or willful damaging or destruction of property, verbal or written harassing and/or threatening statements, telephone calls or other electronic messages, or threatening gestures, expressions or other behavior such as stalking or intimidation. Verbal and/or written behavior also includes use of any method of communication such as email, comments posted on websites, or other social media, regardless of the ownership of the equipment used. University employees who witness, receive, or are informed of any type of threat, act of violence or threatening behavior on campus or related to the campus should notify their supervisor or the University Police Department at 256.765.4357 as quickly as is possible. Additionally, employees should report any behavior or communication they have witnessed which they regard as threatening or violent, when that behavior may be acted upon on a University-controlled site or at a University-related function. Employees bear the responsibility for making these reports regardless of the relationship between the individual who initiated the threat or threatening behavior and the person or persons who were threatened or were the focus of the threatening behavior. Reports of threats, threatening behavior, or acts of violence made or committed by an employee will be investigated appropriately. If an investigation reveals cause for concern, the University may take action which could include the removal of the employee from campus until such time as a determination could be made regarding the employee’s status. Disciplinary action will be commensurate with the level of severity of the threat, behavior or act, and may include, but will not be limited to, a written reprimand, suspension or termination of employment, and/or the filing of criminal charges, criminal arrest and/or prosecution of the employee involved. No existing university policy, practice or procedure should be interpreted to prohibit decisions designed to prevent a threat from being carried out, a violent act from occurring, or a life- threatening situation from developing. The University recognizes and respects the need for privacy and confidentiality of reporting parties and will, therefore, handle their reports with extreme discretion. Confidentiality will be maintained to the extent possible. Anonymous reports, which are not recommended, will be investigated to the extent possible, but the process may be restricted by the lack of full disclosure.
At no time does this policy prevent anyone from calling 911 should he/she feel there is an immediate threat to his/her own safety or the safety of others.
Any employee who applies for or obtains a protective or restraining order which lists university locations as protected areas must provide to the University Police Department a copy of the petition and declarations used to seed the order and a copy of the temporary or permanent protective or restraining order which is granted.
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