Workplace Violence Prevention

Learn about workplace violence and how you can prevent it. Together, we can create a secure and supportive campus environment.

Introduction

UC San Diego strives to maintain a safe workplace, free from threats and acts of intimidation and violence.  Enforcing appropriate remedial action to protect the welfare of employees is a crucial part of The Workplace Violence Prevention Program (WVPP) at UC San Diego. The goal is to promote a work environment that is predicated on employee well-being. 

What Is Workplace Violence?

Any act of violence or threat of violence that occurs in a place of employment. Acts of violence include, but are not limited to, the threat or use of physical force against an employee that results in, or has a high likelihood of resulting in, injury, psychological trauma, or stress, regardless of whether the employee sustains an injury; and incidents involving a threat or use of a firearm or other dangerous weapon, including the use of common objects as weapons, regardless of whether the employee sustains an injury. Workplace violence does not include lawful acts of self-defense or defense of others.

Any UC San Diego employee who is the subject of, or a witness to, a suspected violation of this policy is strongly urged to report the violation or incident to the next-in-line supervisor who is not a party to the violation or incident.

Any supervisor, manager or administrator who receives a report of intimidation, threats, or acts of violence must report the incident.

To learn more about preventing workplace violence, review the Workplace Violence Prevention Plan.

UC San Diego, faculty, and staff are asked to provide input on this Plan anytime. Comments, suggestions, or concerns about this Plan can be directed to the email contact below this page, or EH&S at 858-534-3660. Employees may also submit requests to the WVPP Administrator for the Violent Incident Log by emailing the contact below this page.

Reporting Incidents

How to make a report

The UC San Diego online Incident Reporting Portal allows employees to report incidents of violence or threats without fear of retaliation. Reports can be made through the UC San Diego Workplace Violence Incident Reporting Portal. (Use your UCSD Single-Sign-On to login).

UC Workplace Violence Prevention Training

The University of California developed training to educate our community on recognizing potential signs of workplace violence and the appropriate actions to take in response. This overview was created to empower a workplace with knowledge and skills to maintain a safe environment. After October 7, 2024, the training for Campus employees will be available by logging in to the UC Learning Center and going directly to your assigned training. Before that date, you can log into UC Learning and search using the keyword WVPGEN to locate the course. UC San Diego Health System employees and Law Enforcement officers will be assigned a separate training. UC San Diego Health System employees should follow the information listed on Pulse.

Resources

In the event of a violent incident in the workplace, UC San Diego is equipped with counseling services through the Faculty, Staff Assistance Program (FSAP), Campus Advocacy, Resources, and Education at the Sexual Assault Resource Center (CARE at SARC), and Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) to help employees recover and return to a safe and supportive workplace.

• Counseling: Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FSAP): Confidential counseling and support services.
• Campus Advocacy, Resources and Education, CARE at the Sexual Assault Resource Center: UC San Diego confidential advocacy and education office for sexual violence and gender-based violence (dating violence, domestic violence, stalking). 
• Request a Safety Escort: Call (858) 534-9255, or extension 4-WALK from a campus phone, year-round between sunset and sunrise, to request that a student Community Service Official escort you to your campus destination. After 1 a.m., University Safety Officials may provide this service.
• Counseling and Psychological Services CAPS: provides counseling, workshops, and community forums for UC San Diego students. They also provide outreach programs and consultation services to the campus community. CAPS provides confidential counseling and psychiatry services for registered UC San Diego students. Call CAPS at 858-534-3755 to make an appointment or to discuss urgent concerns. For urgent/crisis counseling after hours, call 858-534-3755 (Option 2). For life-threatening emergencies, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

Maintaining a Safe Workplace

Every employee plays a vital role in maintaining a violence-free workplace. We encourage you to:

• Familiarize yourself with our policies and procedures
• Participate in training and offer suggestions to the Workplace Violence Plan Administrator
• Report any violent incidents immediately
• Support your colleagues in maintaining a respectful and safe environment

 Together, we can create a workplace where everyone feels safe, valued, and empowered to do their best work.