WORKPLACE VIOLENCE POLICY (HR2408) 2023-06-28 REDLINED.PDF

MARICOPA COUNTY INTERNAL POLICY 
 
Policy Title: 
WORKPLACE RECOGNIZING AND 
REPORTING THREATS AND 
VIOLENCE IN THE WORKPLACE 
Policy Number: 
HR2408 
Current Adoption Date: 
061-2811-202317 
Current Implementation Date: 
061-2811-202317 
Approved by: 
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS 
Board Agenda Number:  
C-49-17-015-6-00 
Original Adoption Date: 
7-1998 
 
I. PURPOSE 
To take appropriate action so employees have a safe workplace and to reduce the risk of give direction to 
employees, managers, and Appointing Authorities when they encounter Tthreats or acts of Vviolence among 
co-workers, managers, and visitors. 
II. AUTHORITY 
This Policy is authorized by the Board of Supervisors pursuant to A.R.S.§11-251. 
III. APPLICATION 
This Policy applies to all Maricopa County appointed departments, the Flood Control District of Maricopa 
County, and the Maricopa County Library District (Special Districts). The Board of Supervisors is authorized 
to jointly adopt policies applying to the Special Districts under the Intergovernmental Agreement, C-06-18-
393-6-00, approved on April 11, 2018. An elected office may follow this Policy for its employees when it does 
not have a similar policy. 
II.IV. DEFINITIONS 
A. Administrative Investigation: A review of allegations conducted by the County’s or Department’s Human 
Resources Department with the employees, witnesses, Security Services, relevant management and, 
where applicable, local law enforcement, in order to document the events and conduct of employees prior 
to any disciplinary action in accordance with County Policy HR2401 Informal/Formal Discipline. 
B.A. 
Appointing Authority: An elected official, the single administrative or executive head of a 
Ddepartment/Special District, or the designated representative authorized to act in this capacity. 
C. OSHA: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration. 
D.B. 
Threat: An occurrence, individual, entity, or action that has or indicates the potential to harm life, 
information, operations, and/or property. An imminent tthreat is when the Tthreat is happening or can 
happen in the immediate future. A non-imminent tthreat is when the Tthreat might happen at some point 
in time, not in the immediate future. 
E.C. 
Violence: A Tthreat or act which is alarming, intimidating, or coercive made in relation to a person 
at a County Wworkplace. A Tthreat or act includes verbal or written communication, menacing, stalking, 
vandalism, the possessingion or brandishing of weapons and/or ammunition, unless the specific weapon, 
ammunition or use is authorized by the County for a particular work assignment, and the use ofusing 
physical force. Does not include possessing or brandishing weapons or ammunition or using physical 
force if authorized by the County for a particular work assignment. 
F.D. 
Workplace: A physical location where the County's work or operations are performed.

Policy Title: 
WORKPLACE RECOGNIZING AND 
REPORTING THREATS AND 
VIOLENCE IN THE WORKPLACE 
Policy Number: 
HR2408 
Current Adoption Date: 
061-2811-202317 
 
Page 2 of 5 
III.V. POLICY 
A. Safe and Secure Workplace 
1. Employees should haveare entitled to a safe and secure Wworkplace in conformance with the rules 
and regulations established by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 
and all relevant provisions of the Arizona Revised Statutes (A.R.S.). 
2. The County has zero tolerance for Tthreats or acts of Vviolence in its Wworkplace. 
3. Threats or acts of Vviolence must be reported immediately to a supervisor, Security Services or local 
law enforcement as required by the severity of the Tthreat or act. 
4. Employees’ threats ofThreats or acts of Vviolence by employees may result in disciplinary action, up 
to and including dismissal, and/or criminal prosecution. 
5. The County does not tolerate deadly weapons in its Wworkplace as described in County Policy A2228 
Prohibition of Weapons Policy – A2228. 
5.6. If a crime is believed to have occurred, refer to Reporting of Crime on County Property – A2213. 
B. Prevention of Violence 
1. EIt is the responsibility of every employee is responsible to workfor resolving to resolve conflicts 
promptly to prevent them from escalating to Tthreats or acts of Vviolence. 
2. Employees should useare expected to be familiar with and to follow the conflict resolution steps 
described in County Policies HR2405 Employee Workplace Concerns Policy – HR2405 and HR2406 
Prohibition Against Unlawful Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation Policy – HR2406. to prevent 
issues. 
C. Response to Workplace Violence When Prevention Fails 
The safety of employeesEmployees' and visitors' safety is the foremost concern in determining the initial 
response to a Tthreat or act of Vviolence. Each Tthreat, alleged Tthreat, or act of Vviolence must be 
assessed and managed according to the particular circumstances presented. Once a violent or potentially 
violent situation is identified, if time permits, it must be brought to the attention of the department 
management for an immediate evaluation of the severity of the situation. 
1. Non-Imminent Threat 
If a non-imminent Tthreat is directed at someone in a County Wworkplace, the reporting employee, 
supervisor, or Appointing Authority must make the following timely notifications must be made by the 
reporting employee, supervisor or Appointing Authority: 
a. Contact Security Services. 
b. Contact the employee’s immediate supervisor, if appropriate. 
c. Contact the County’s or Department’s Human Resources Department. 
2. Immediate Danger or Imminent Threat of Violence

Policy Title: 
WORKPLACE RECOGNIZING AND 
REPORTING THREATS AND 
VIOLENCE IN THE WORKPLACE 
Policy Number: 
HR2408 
Current Adoption Date: 
061-2811-202317 
 
Page 3 of 5 
Any employee who is a victim of,, or a witness to, or advised of, an act of Vviolence or an imminent 
Tthreat of Vviolence in the Wworkplace, or who is advised of an imminent Threat directed at or 
expressed by other employees and believed by the victim or witness to constitute an imminent danger 
requiring an immediate response, mustshall take the following actions: 
a. Seek personal safety and . 
b.a. Wwarn potential victims. 
c.b. Call 911. If the telephone requires a 9 to access an outside/public line, press"9-911"; otherwise, 
press "911". Tell the operator the building’s address, floor number, and suite number. 
c. Call Security Services. 
D. Manager’s and Supervisor’s Responsibilities 
Act immediately and appropriately on all reports of threats or acts of violence. 
d. If the Threat involves acts requiring evacuation of County facilities, refer to County Policy A1307 
Emergency Evacuation of County Facilities. 
D.E. 
Appointing Authority Responsibilities 
Appointing Authorities shall: 
1. Ensure that their employees have read and , understand, and follow this pPolicy. Hold employees 
accountable for reporting threats or acts of violence.  
2. Take reasonable steps to ensure the Wworkplace is free from Vviolence, including appropriate training 
for responding to workplace Tthreats in the Workplace.Hold their employees accountable for reporting 
Threats or acts of Violence and fulfilling the responsibilities described in this policy. 
2.  
E.A. 
Manager’s and Supervisor’s Responsibilities 
F. Managers and Supervisors must: 
G. Document that employees understand their responsibilities to report Threats and acts of Violence to their 
supervisors, Security Services or local law enforcement, as appropriate, regardless of the relationship 
between the individual who initiated the Threat or act of Violence and the person who was threatened or 
acted upon.  
H. Act immediately and appropriately on all reports of threats or acts of Violence.  
Take reasonable steps to ensure the Workplace is free from Violence, including appropriate training for responding 
to Threats in the Workplace. 
Security Services Responsibilities 
If the Manager or Supervisor of an employee affected by Threats or acts of Violence determines that they 
should contact Security Services or local law enforcement, they need to talk to the on-duty supervisor and 
provide them with information on what steps have already been taken. The Security Services supervisor 
will:

Policy Title: 
WORKPLACE RECOGNIZING AND 
REPORTING THREATS AND 
VIOLENCE IN THE WORKPLACE 
Policy Number: 
HR2408 
Current Adoption Date: 
061-2811-202317 
 
Page 4 of 5 
Coordinate the notification of personnel considered at risk and their leadership.  
Coordinate any necessary additional security. 
Notify the County’s or Department’s Human Resources Department staff who may take additional steps, 
including considering administrative leave.  
I. 
Refer, as needed, news media contacts to the Appointing Authority and the Office of Communications. 
J.F. Investigation 
1. If a crime is believed to have occurred, refer to County Policy A2213 Reporting of Crime on County 
Property.  
2. A report of the incident in question will be made by an on-duty Security Services Officer. 
3.1. All investigations of the incidents referred to in this Ppolicy for purposes other than law enforcement 
should be coordinated with the County’s or Department’s Human Resources Department, the affected 
employees’ department(s,) and Security Services. 
4.2. The County’s or Department’s Human Resources Department may conduct an Aadministrative 
Iinvestigation, which may lead to disciplinary action for the employees responsible, in accordance with 
County Policy HR2401 Informal/Formal Discipline. 
3. All employees contacted as part of the investigationve process have a responsibility to fully cooperate 
and providemust fully cooperate and provide information or other assistance that may be 
needednecessary information or assistance to ensure that a prompt, complete and fair investigation 
can be conducted. Refusing to cooperate or in the investigation, refusing to answer questions,or 
answering questions related to the investigation incompletely or untruthfully, or attempting to 
undermine or discourage an investigation may result in disciplinary action, up to and including 
dismissal. 
G. Non-Retaliation 
Prohibition Against Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation Policy – HR2406 forbids any retaliation 
against employees who report workplace threats or acts of violence. Employees who believe they have 
been subject to such retaliation shall notify the County’s or Department’s Human Resources Department 
and their Appointing Authority. 
H. Confidentiality 
Consistent with the necessity of preventing Workplace Violence and protecting the privacy rights of the 
reporting employees, aAll reports and investigations of Wworkplace Vviolence arewill be kept confidential 
to the extent practicable under the circumstances and law. The reports and investigations of Workplace 
Violence are not generally subject to public disclosure except as may be necessary for disciplinary action 
or as otherwise required by law 
IV.VI. COURT ORDERS 
A. If an eEmployees is involved in personal, non-criminal disputes the employee may secure an Order of 
Protection (A.R.S. § 13-3602), an Injunction against Harassment (A.R.S. § 12-1809), or a similar court 
order.  
B. Generally, such a court order should include the employee’s work location and their place of residence.

Policy Title: 
WORKPLACE RECOGNIZING AND 
REPORTING THREATS AND 
VIOLENCE IN THE WORKPLACE 
Policy Number: 
HR2408 
Current Adoption Date: 
061-2811-202317 
 
Page 5 of 5 
C.A. 
When the orders areis granted, the employees must: 
1. Inform their own management of the order. If the order involves another Maricopa County employee, 
the employee who obtained the order must inform the management of both employees and provide 
them with a copy of the order. 
2. Deliver a copy of the order to the Security Services office located at 301 W. Jefferson. 
3. Deliver a copy of the order to their Human Resources Department. 
D.B. 
Managers and Supervisors of employees involved in the order should take appropriate steps to 
comply with the order, such as: 
1. Report the order to Security Services.  
2. Provide descriptions and photographs of the individuals who are the subjects of the order. 
3. Alert employees who are likely to come in contact with the subjects of the order. 
4. Provide instructions on actions to be taken if the subjects enter the Wworkplace. 
 
Revision History 
Version 
Revision Date 
Description of Revision 
1 
07-1998 
Initial version. (Approved by the County Manager) 
2 
01/11/2017 
Clarified responsibilities, updated language, changed title.  (C-49-17-015-6-00) 
3 
06/28/2023 
Simplified language and title and removed outdated policies (C-31-