The San Mateo County Community College District is committed to cultivating a civil, non-violent learning, working and social environment devoid of any forms of conduct, including discrimination, which could be considered harassing, coercive, or disruptive. The principles of civility and mutual respect underpin our pursuit of excellence in teaching and learning. These principles contribute to a safe and productive workplace and foster a healthy campus climate for all. Our Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (WVPP) addresses workplace violence by raising awareness, expanding reporting procedures, and implementing enhanced protective measures.

Workplace Violence Prevention Requirements

California employers subject to California Labor Code Section 6401.9 must establish, implement, and maintain a Workplace Violence Prevention Plan that includes protocols for:

• Communication with employees regarding workplace violence matters
• Responding to reports of workplace violence
• Prohibiting retaliation for reporting violence or concerns
• Developing and providing effective training
• Identifying and correcting workplace violence hazards
• Performing post-incident response and investigations

See the San Mateo County Community College District's Workplace Violence Prevention Plan  

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What is Workplace Violence

Workplace Violence refers to any act of violence that occurs in a place of employment. Workplace Violence includes but is 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.
• An incident 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.

How to Report Workplace Violence

Community members who witness or perceive an act of violence or threat of violence on campus are urged to report such incidents or workplace violence through one or more of the following means:

• For immediate risk, dial 911
• Public Safety at 650-738-7000 (when safe to do so)
• Report online at Health/Safety/Incident Reporting Form
• Report an incident or concern to a supervisor or the Workplace Violence Prevention Administrators at wvpreport@smccd.edu. 

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Identifying and Evaluating Workplace Violence Hazards

The District will oversee the identification of workplace violence physical hazards.

Employees can report workplace violence hazards or safety concerns through the following channels:

• Report a hazardous or unsafe condition using this online form, or
• Contact Facilities, Public Safety, Human Resources, or a supervisor.

The Workplace Violence Prevention Team will review and document the outcomes of all such reports.

The Workplace Violence Prevention Team conducts an annual review using the Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design assessment process.

Violence Incident Logs

The Workplace Violence Prevention Team maintains the log, which will be used to record reported workplace violence incidents. 

Additional Resources

• Employee Assistance Program  
• Public Safety Department
• Discrimination and Workplace Complaints 
• Cal-OSHA Workplace Violence 

Provide Feedback on the Workplace Violence Prevention Plan

If you would like to provide feedback on the District's Workplace Violence Prevention Plan, please contact wvpreport@smccd.edu or complete this survey.