John Jay College Workplace Violence Prevention Program
- Home
- John Jay College Workplace Violence Prevention Program
In accordance with the University’s commitment to the prevention of workplace violence, John Jay College adopts the following as its Workplace Violence Prevention Program (the “Program”):
1. Purpose
CUNY’s Workplace Violence Prevention Program provides information to the College community about preventing and responding to incidents of workplace violence at the College and seeks to develop programs which will
prevent or reduce the likelihood of threats or acts of workplace violence. The Program seeks to ensure that any
incident, complaint, or report of workplace violence is taken seriously and dealt with appropriately. The Program
implements the Workplace Violence Prevention Policy as set forth therein, workplace violence is defined as any physical assault or acts of aggressive behavior occurring where an employee performs any work–related duty in the course of his or her employment, including but not limited to:
i. An attempt or threat, whether verbal or physical, to inflict physical injury upon an employee;
ii. Any intentional display of force that would give an employee reason to fear or expect bodily harm;
iii. Intentional and wrongful physical contact with an employee without his or her consent that entails some
injury; and
iv. Stalking an employee in a manner that may cause the employee to fear for his or her physical safety and health when such stalking has arisen through and in the course of employment.
2. Scope
All College employees are required to comply with the Program. In addition, since students and visitors to the College are required to conduct themselves in conformity with existing law, employees who observe or experience students or visitors engaging in violent or threatening behavior should follow the procedures in the Program for
reporting such behavior.
3. Workplace Violence Advisory Team (WVAT)
a. The WVAT reports directly to the College President and consists of members designated by the President. These
include representatives from the Department of Public Safety, Human Resources, Labor Relations, Counseling Services, Legal Affairs and/or others, including faculty and staff, as deemed appropriate by the President.
b. The WVAT Chair, selected by the President, sets the times and agendas for meetings and establishes
sub-committees, as necessary, to fulfill the WVAT responsibilities set forth herein and in sections 4.
c. The link to the College’s website where the Chair and members of the WVAT and their contact information is found in Appendix I.
d. Human Resources will coordinate the Workplace Violence Prevention training at the College.
4. Risk Assessment and Evaluation Process
a. On an annual basis, the WVAT will:
i. Examine the prior year’s relevant records that concern workplace violence incidents to identify patterns in the type and cause of injuries.
ii. Assess relevant policies, work practices, and work procedures that may impact the Workplace Violence Prevention Program.
b. In May 2026, the WVAT with authorized employee (union) representatives (AER) conducted a physical site
evaluation of the College’s campus buildings to determine the presence of factors that may place employees at risk of workplace violence. As per CUNY, since a physical site evaluation and initial walkthrough was conducted we do not have to repeat the walk-through unless: the campus has a new building or there have been significant structural changes/renovations to an existing building since the previous walk-through. A physical site evaluation walk-through of the Digital Creation Lab, located in Suite 334 of Haaren Hall.
During the introduction, the Manager shared that construction on the lab was completed in August 2025. They described the facility as a compact space featuring a main office, a presentation classroom, and three distinct recording studios color-coded yellow, orange, and grey. It was noted that all equipment within the lab is industry standard.
Several participants asked about the lab's functions and access. When attendees inquired what the space is used for, whether students could use it for a major, and if staff could use it, access was confirmed for staff as well. The Manager explained that the office collaborates with both faculty and students for any activities involving digital technology, offering student workshops on equipment usage and assistance with class projects. When asked if podcasts could be produced, it was clarified that productions are currently recorded and saved rather than broadcast live.
The conversation then shifted to operations and safety. Addressing questions regarding lighting, student office hours, and overnight stays, the Manager stated that the lab operates Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with walk-ins welcome although appointments are preferred. They confirmed there are currently no complaints or safety issues regarding the space. In response to inquiries about office staffing, it was assured that the office is consistently staffed by a College Assistant alongside the Manager. Prompted by an attendee about the classroom door, the Manager clarified that the sliding door lacks a locking mechanism, explaining that the sliding design was chosen specifically to prevent slamming.
c. Each authorized employee representative with members at the College and WVAT members will be provided advance notice, in writing, of the date and time(s) of the site visit(s) and annual program review from the WVAT Chair. Each authorized employee organization will be provided with the opportunity to designate a representative to participate in the site visit(s) by notifying the WVAT Chair in writing of the designated representative. In addition to the authorized employee representative(s), an employee may also request to participate directly in the site visit for his/her work area by contacting the WVAT Chair. An e-mail announcing the site visit and inviting participation will be sent to the College community prior to the walk-through.
d. Following the physical site evaluation, the WVAT will prepare a report of the findings, including a list of the high-risk factors identified during the physical site evaluation and recommendations on appropriate work practice control measures to address identified risk factors.
e. Physical site evaluation/risk assessment evaluations will be conducted after an incident of workplace violence, as needed and as identified by the Department of Labor, or if it is determined that a significant trend of workplace violence is identified.
f. The WVAT, with the participation of the AERs, conducts an annual program review of the prior year’s campus workplace incidents to identify trends in the types of incidents in the workplace and reviews the effectiveness of the mitigating actions taken. A redacted master summary sheet of all on campus workplace violence incidents is distributed and discussed. If a walk-through was conducted, the results of the walk through are examined during the annual review meeting. The campus Workplace Violence Prevention Plan and Program are reviewed.
5. High Risk Locations/Risk Factors
Factors that might place an employee at risk include but are not limited to:
- Offices that handle the exchange of money, including cash, checks, money orders and credit card receipts: Bursar, Department of Public Safety, Business Office, and the Library.
- Offices that handle issues stressful to students, such as the Wellness Center, Registrar, Academic Advising, Accessibility Services, Financial Aid, Office of Student Affairs and the Department of Public Safety.
- Offices that handle issues stressful to faculty and staff, such as the Office of Human Resources, Office of the Legal Counsel, Department of Public Safety and the Office of the Provost.
- Campus locations where faculty and staff work late at night/early in the morning or on weekends: including Facilities Management, Public Safety, and the Library.
In response, the College utilizes the following control measures to eliminate or reduce workplace violence
hazards:
i. Card Access and/or turnstiles at all campus buildings.
ii. Metal Detectors: utilized at events that Public Safety deems as necessary; with the written consent of the College President.
iii. Surveillance cameras are located in the following areas: elevators, elevator lobbies, outside perimeter, and other strategic locations.
iv. Increased patrols to monitor that exterior lighting is functioning
v. Sign-in/Sign-out procedure for campus visitor access.
vi. Daily safety patrols to ensure safety and security.
vii. Two-way radios: Public Safety, Facilities Management, and Theater Services
viii. Emergency contact to Public Safety from phones and duress stations which are located in some restrooms, classrooms, elevator lobbies, hallways and other strategic locations. Public Safety tests these devices on a monthly basis.
ix. Panic buttons and emergency phones are strategically located throughout the buildings.
x. Security Mirrors are located throughout the campus buildings in strategic locations.
xi. The College’s Children’s Center is located at 11th Avenue entrance panic alarms have been installed there. Monthly evacuation drills are conducted. Public Safety conducts safety training for the Children’s Center staff.
xii. Stickers with the Public Safety emergency phone extension of 8888 were distributed to campus Departments to be adhered to desk phones.
xiii. Active shooter locks were installed in campus classrooms– the locks can secure a room from the interior so that an unauthorized individual outside the door is prevented from entering.
xiv. Opaque panels are available in all classrooms to cover the glass to prevent seeing into the room, in the event of an active shooter.
xv. An overnight depository box was installed in the Bursar’s Office to secure cash collected during evening events.
xvi. Keypad entry to conference rooms has been installed in Westport South; only those authorized to enter the room have ID card access.
xvii. Emergency Phones were installed in the restrooms of Westport South.
xviii. Employees working after hours are advised to notify Public Safety, Command Center so that Public Safety is aware of their presence on campus in case of an emergency.
xix. A security assessment of the John Jay College, BMW 10th floor suite was made prior to the suite occupants moving in. As a result, security measures such as cameras and ID card access card readers were installed.
xx. Emergency Response Guides have been hung in every College classroom.
xxi. Public Safety offers CPR/AED, Stop the Bleed and Active Shooter Awareness training to John Jay faculty, staff and students.
xxii. As a result of a site visit an emergency phone and a panic button will be installed in the library, special
collections area. It was decided the installation will be delayed until the campus re-opens and the permanent furniture placement in the area is determined.
6. Workplace Violence Prevention Training
The annual CUNY Workplace Violence Prevention training is mandatory. At the time of initial employment and annually thereafter all employees must participate in the training which includes information about the risks of workplace violence. The number of participants who completed the training is lower than in previous years. The College provides this training to its employees through Human Resources either via Blackboard or in a classroom setting. Training will also be offered via Zoom when the campus is closed. Suggestions were made about
additional outreach to faculty and staff to encourage more participation in the training.
The training program address the following essential topics:
a. An overview and definition of workplace violence;
b. Techniques on how to recognize and avoid potentially violent situations, including de-escalation techniques;
c. How employees can protect themselves and soliciting employees for program improvements
d. The importance of reporting incidents and the procedure for reporting incidents;
e. Where employees can seek assistance during a dangerous situation;
f. Resources, such as trauma counseling, that may be available to employees after an incident has occurred.
g. Active shooter awareness
7. Reporting Process/Procedures for Incidents of Workplace Violence
In order to maintain a safe working environment, incidents of workplace violence must be reported promptly to a supervisor (unless the complaint is made against the supervisor) and/or the Public Safety. The phone number of the Department of Public Safety is 212-237-8524.
Members of the College community are encouraged to report behavior they believe may lead to workplace
violence.
a. After an incident occurs or upon receipt of a complaint, an investigation will be conducted by the Department of Public Safety. Complaints involving employees of the Department of Public Safety will be investigated by Human Resources and referred to the Office of Legal Counsel.
b. Once there’s an alleged incident of Workplace Violence reported, Public Safety will write an incident report. Public Safety maintains all records of initial reports and the results of any investigative reports relating to Workplace Violence at the College.
As set forth therein, investigative reports must include:
i. Workplace location where the incident occurred;
ii. Time of day/shift when the incident occurred;
iii. A detailed description of the incident, including events leading up to the incident and how the incident ended;
iv. Names and job titles of employees involved; including other identifiers and the names of other individuals
involved.
v. Nature and extent of injuries arising from the incident; and
vi. Names of witnesses.
A Director of Public Safety will review the investigation results of incidents and complaints. The report will then be forwarded to the Office of Legal Counsel, where it will be reviewed and appropriate recommendations will be made.
c. The WVAT, with the participation of the authorized employee representative(s), conducts a review of the Campus Workplace Violence Incidents Report at least annually to identify trends in the types of incidents in the workplace and reviews the effectiveness of the mitigating actions taken.
d. All reports are confidential and non-redacted copies are only distributed on the advice of counsel.
8. Report of Violations of the Workplace Violence Prevention Policy and Program
Any employee or authorized employee representative who believes that the College’s Workplace Violence Prevention Program is in violation of CUNY’s Workplace Violence Prevention Policy, New York State Department of Labor Regulation Section 800.6 and New York State Labor Law Section 27(b), should bring their concerns to the attention of the proper authorities.
During events involving the threat of imminent danger call 911 and then contact the College’s Department of Public Safety.
Events relating to concerns of other types of reportable incidents should be reported as detailed in Paragraph 7, above, and brought to the attention of the University’s Senior University Executive Director of Human Resources Strategic Planning, 217 East 42 St, New York, NY 10017.
If you are not satisfied with the College’s response to an activity, policy or practice or believe a violation remains after an investigation you may request an inspection by notifying the Commissioner of Labor of the alleged
violation. This notice to the Commissioner must be in writing and with a description of the grounds for the notice and must be signed by the employee or authorized employee representative in compliance with New York State Labor Law Section 27(b) and it’s implementing regulations.
9. Retaliation
No employee is subject to criticism, reprisal, retaliation or disciplinary action by the College for good faith reporting pursuant to the Program. Individuals who make false and malicious complaints of workplace violence, as opposed to complaints that, even if erroneous, are made in good faith, may be subject to disciplinary or other appropriate action.
10. Recordkeeping
All recordkeeping and reporting shall be made in compliance with the applicable law and regulation (currently New York Labor Law Sections 27-a and 27-b and 12 NYCRR Part 800) and the Policy and Program.
11. Program Effectiveness and Evaluation/Post-Incident Response
At least annually or after serious incidents, the WVAT evaluates the effectiveness of the Workplace Violence Prevention Program, including post-incident responses and evaluation processes. The review focuses on incident trends and the effectiveness of the control measures taken by the College. The review also assesses whether the reporting and recordkeeping systems are effective in collecting relevant information.
Updated June 2026