Using the NFL as a Model? Considering Zero Tolerance in the Workplace for Batterers

Abstract

The impact of domestic violence can increasingly be felt in the workplace, and it can adversely affect the safety and productivity of employees. Legislators and employers have begun to recognize the effect of domestic violence on employment, and many have adopted policies to protect the interests of domestic violence survivors. This article suggests that wider adoption of domestic violence policies are needed and these policies should be broadened to directly address batterers in the workplace. The article argues that employer based sanctions would increase batterer accountability and workplace safety. It uses the newly revised NFL Personal Conduct Policy as a starting point for addressing whether more employers should adopt zero tolerance in the workplace for batterers.

Keywords: domestic abuse, intimate partner violence, IPV, DV, domestic violence policies, employment, workplace safety, employer policies, batterers, NFL Personal Conduct Policy