Employees Going Postal
 In the days following the most recent workplace violence incident involving the US Postal Service, the knee-jerk reaction might have been to chalk up the shootings to "just another USPS employee gone postal." The reality, however, is that the incident is more indicative of the potential for workplace violence to occur in any organization in today's environment.
The particulars of the incident in California are not remarkably distinctive in comparison to similar lethal workplace violence incidents, other than the fact that it was carried out by a woman (which is rare in such cases). Early releases from the US Postal Service have revealed that there were several warning signs in the years leading up to the incident. The perpetrator, Jennifer Sanmarco, was placed on medical leave in 2003 for suicidality. Sanmarco apparently displayed odd behavior on a regular basis, including public nudity, staring at coworkers, and talking and arguing with herself . She additionally obtained a business license for a publication called The Racist Press. Such behaviors are not to be taken lightly, especially in the presence of other risk factors.
Though no two aggressors are alike, they share some common characteristics and behaviors:
- Most often male, thirty-five or older
- Withdrawn and considered a loner
- Owns or is familiar with weapons
- Has few interests outside work
- Self-esteem depends heavily on job
- Strong sense of injustice to self or beliefs
- Externalizes blame, projects
- Poor people skills, difficulty getting along with others
- Has served in the military (or so claims)
- Has a history of substance or alcohol abuse
- History of violence (domestic, public and work)
- Functions in a "toxic or dysfunctional work environment"
No organization is invulnerable to workplace violence. Employers have a moral duty to provide a safe workplace for their employees. They also have statutory obligations under federal and state law to provide and promote a safe and violence-free work environment. Illustrative of these responsibilities are the requirements under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) and state workers’ compensation laws. Furthermore, employers have responsibilities to the public. Either vicariously or directly, employers may be liable for the harm brought to others by workplace violence. Moreover, employers have additional legal obligations to job applicants.
For more information on Workplace Violence, please call us at (800) 650-7005 or visit www.workplaceviolenceprevention.com to learn more about how to recognize and prevent workplace violence.
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Security Playing Important Role in Upcoming Sporting Events
 Super Bowl XL in Detroit on February 5, 2006 witnessed an unprecedented security effort. Consistently one of the most watched events in the world, the Super Bowl would seem to be an inviting target for terrorists. For this year's edition, the security was up to the task.
In 2002, Super Bowl XXXVI in New Orleans was designated a National Security Event by the United States government, and although later versions of the game have not been given the same label, the security has been just as tight. This year's Super Bowl was closer in proximity to an international border than any previous edition of the game. More than 50 federal, state, and local agencies were involved, including upwards of 10,000 people contributing to the security preparations. Also included was a 30-mile radius no-fly zone around Ford Field on game day, and a security zone enforced by the U.S. Coast Guard along the Detroit River during the entire week surrounding the Super Bowl festivities. Even NORAD was involved, conducting a series of five-hour practices to prepare for their planned air defense for the Super Bowl.
The Winter Olympics, scheduled for February 10-26, 2006 in Turin, Italy, will also draw a large security force. The United States is one of several countries helping Italy prepare for the security needs of the Olympic Games. The United States also assisted Greece with the 2004 summer Games in Athens, providing training and other support for their security forces. $1.4 billion was spent on security for the Athens Games. Italy has been on alert since recent terror attacks in Madrid and London, with the bombings in England spurring Italy to immediately add $12 million to their security budget for the Olympics. Security has been a special concern to the Olympic Games since terrorists invaded the Olympic Village in Munich, Germany in 1972, and then especially since September 11, 2001. The U.S. Department of State has expressed concern about any large-scale event being a target for terrorists and urges heightened vigilance for any U.S. citizens that will be attending the Olympics.
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Warning Signs of an Inadequate Anonymous Incident Reporting System
While companies nationwide arm themselves with anonymous incident reporting systems, it is important to know what to look for in making sure that the system in place is effective and serving the purpose of its intention. While there are many providers of such systems, here are some indicators of an inadequate system:
- Low call volume
- Missing or incomplete reports
- Delays in receiving reports
- All reports are anonymous
- Allegations seem to point one group or area
Another sign of an inadequate anonymous incident reporting system is if the system is internal. Unfortunately, some companies choose to create an in-house hotline for their employees to call. Such in-house solutions, while being relatively easy to launch and initially the most inexpensive solution, often prove to be ineffective. Internal reporting systems are rarely trusted by employees, are very difficult to properly administrate, create significant legal exposures and related damages, and are likely non-compliant in the first place. When evaluating an anonymous incident reporting system, choose an external provider that offers the most effective tool for your organization.
For more information regarding anonymous incident reporting systems, please call our staff at (800) 650-7005 or visit www.mysafeworkplace.com.
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Fact: The only Nobel Prize category that the US has not accumulated the most winners in since 1901 is Literature (France).
ChoicePoint, Inc., FTC Settle
 Thursday, January 26, 2006 brought announcements by both ChoicePoint, Inc. and the Federal Trade Commission regarding the FTC's 2005 allegations that ChoicePoint violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and the FTC Act by failing to implement reasonable measures for screening prospective customers and making misleading statements about its privacy policies. Last year, ChoicePoint announced that the personal financial information of more than 163,000 consumers had been compromised, resulting in at least 800 reported cases of identity theft.
The terms of the settlement stipulate that ChoicePoint is not required to admit fault or liability for the 2005 data breech. However, the settlement comes at a cost of over $15 million to ChoicePoint. Ten million will be paid in civil penalties (incidentally the largest civil penalty in FTC history) while the remaining five million dollars will establish an FTC-administered fund to assist victims of the breech. Aside from the sheer cash ChoicePoint will doll out in the aftermath of the data compromise, the order further requires the consumer data broker to implement heightened credentialing protocols for distributing consumer reports and establish a comprehensive information security program including program assessment, compliance, and auditing procedures.
ChoicePoint maintains that the program additions and modifications will establish new industry standards, which all data brokers should consider. Only time will tell if the industry embraces the lessons learned in this data breech debacle and consumers can feel a measure of security regarding the protection of their personal information.
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Introducing the Fair Share Health Care Fund Act
If your organization conducts or is planning to conduct its business in Maryland, listen up! Earlier this month, in unprecedented fashion, state legislature in Maryland approved the Fair Share Health Care Fund Act. This bill, also known as the "pay or play" bill requires private companies with more than 10,000 employees in Maryland to spend at least 8% of their payroll on employee health benefits or make a contribution to the state's insurance program for the poor. Furthermore, strict monetary penalties will be imposed on organizations who fail to make payments required by the law and/or fail to submit timely reports of the same to the Maryland Secretary of Labor.
Critics of this bill, including The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), denounce this unparalleled bill, asserting it is government intrusion into the benefit structures of private companies while ignoring other successful, alternative approaches. Conversely, proponents such as Americans for Health Care assert the bill will employ guidelines to keep corporate giants in line by mandating that more health care benefits are provided to employees.
Although Maryland is the only state thus far that has enacted such legislation, there are at least 30 other states that are considering enacting similar "pay or play" legislation, which may affect employers smaller than those impacted by the Maryland law. Many argue the enactment of such ordinances will undoubtedly have negative business repercussions, up to and including organizations relocating or altogether closing site locations to avoid such legislation.
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How to Retrieve Sent Emails
Have you ever clicked "Send" on an email and moments later cursed at yourself because you wanted to take it back? Perhaps you forgot to include an important attachment, made a content error, or perhaps you clicked on "reply all" unintentionally...
There is a method for retrieving some emails that you have sent. If you open up an email that you have sent (from your "Sent Items" folder), you can "Recall this message" in the Actions Menu. You must be quick, because (obviously) if the recipient sees and/or reads the message before you recall it, you are stuck with your original email.
There are more caveats. First of all, retrieval is possible when talking about Microsoft Outlook users only, and Outlook users who are sending emails to Microsoft Exchange Server accounts. And even so, you cannot retrieve mail sent to recipients who set up their inbox to automatically move any inbound messages from you into a separate folder. Furthermore, the recall feature does not work on Web-based email accounts, such as Hotmail or Yahoo Mail.
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Quote of the Month: "Crime does not pay ... as well as politics.
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- Alfred E. Newman
Want a Customized Electronic Newsletter for Your Organization?
 Now you can market your products, services and ideas with a customized professional electronic newsletter just like this one. The means to affordably communicate with your customers, clients or team members has never been easier. Our IT and design team will help you select a design and color scheme that suits your needs. Your customized monthly newsletter will display your organization's name, logo, address and phone number. Each issue will contain at least five topical articles professionally written by our editors. We can even add articles, messages and news releases contributed by you or your organization. Hyperlinks to your Website and automated subscribe and unsubscribe feature are included. We will even distribute the newsletter for you to your list of subscribers. To receive your own customized electronic newsletter, call Brad Mathers at 800.650.7005 or visit www.SecurityNewsletters.com today!
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