Manitoba Family Services and Consumer Affairs

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The Workplace Initiative to Support Employees (WISE) on Family Violence toolkit offers practical information and resources to help employers recognize and respond to employees affected by family violence. Because family violence is often hidden, it is sometimes difficult for employers to recognize the impact it has on employees and their work environments. This toolkit is intended to help employers support employees when family violence issues affect their workplace.

The dynamics of family violence are complex and require the intervention of trained professionals, including counsellors, healthcare workers and legal counsel. This guide is not a substitute for the services offered by these professionals. Employees affected by family violence should be encouraged to use the resources appropriate for their needs.

This toolkit was developed to support the family violence prevention workshops provided to employers through the provincial government’s WISE on Family Violence project. It is adaptable to most workplaces, regardless of size, location and whether or not there is a union. While it specifically targets managers, supervisors and human resource personnel, it also contains material that can be distributed and displayed in the workplace.

The WISE on Family Violence toolkit is intended to:

• educate employers about family violence and its impact on the workplace
• provide employers with practical strategies to support employees who may be affected by family violence
• increase the visibility and availability of family violence prevention information in the workplace
• encourage employers to incorporate family violence prevention support into regular workplace policies and practices

Acknowledgements

The Workplace Initiative to Support Employees on Family Violence project is sponsored by the Manitoba government, through Manitoba Family Services and Housing, Manitoba Justice and Manitoba Labour and Immigration. The employer toolkit was developed with the guidance of the New Brunswick Family Violence and the Workplace Committee and with the assistance of the WISE on Family Violence Advisory Committee whose members include representatives from: the Manitoba Civil Service Commission; Manitoba Health and Healthy Living; Winnipeg Police Service; Klinic Community Health Centre/Evolve; Portage Family Abuse Prevention Centre; Pluri-elles Manitoba; Manitoba Lotteries Corporation; Manitoba Hydro; Manitoba Chambers of Commerce; and, Manitoba Interfaith Immigration Council Inc.

Disclaimer

This toolkit contains useful information on family violence and how to address it in the workplace, but is only intended as a general guide.  Employers are advised to get professional legal advice about any specific legal matters. The development of workplace policies on family violence should involve human resource and union representatives where available. Information in this toolkit comes from a variety of sources that may be updated periodically.  Any reference to legislation should be considered general in nature, because laws can change.

This toolkit for employers contains:

Fact sheets for employers:

• What is Family Violence?
• Why Employers Should Care About Family Violence
• Tips on Talking to an Employee about Family Violence
• Family Violence and the Law
• What Employers Can Do

Handouts to copy and distribute to employees:

• The Cycle of Violence and How You Can Break It
• Protection Orders, Prevention Orders and Peace Bonds
• Protection Orders
• Protection Planning for People in Abusive Relationships
• The CELL Program

Washroom stall stickers

Poster

Brochure on domestic violence prevention

List of resources for those affected by domestic violence

To order additional resource and promotional material or for more information about family violence training available to your organization, contact:

The Family Violence Prevention Program
Phone: 204-945-1709; toll free within Manitoba 1-800-282-8069 (ext.1709)
E-mail: fvpp@gov.mb.ca