Incident Management Team Inc. Your partner in Crisis Management

Home - Site Map - About Us - Crisis Facts - IMT Services - Ask The Experts - Resources - Join Our Network - Contact Us
	Incident Management Team
Threat Assessment

Most employers are in the business of providing either goods or services. Few are prepared to conduct a risk assessment of individuals who make threats against their employees, customers or assets. That such tasks have not entered the domain of the workplace is a sad commentary on the level of violence in today’s workplaces and schools. Yet, recent litigation stemming from assaults or violent incidents in the workplace, coupled with the employer’s desire to promote a safe work environment for customers, employees and contractors, have place the process of risk assessment on the radar screens of today’s workplaces.

The major issue in threat assessment is differentiating between the difficult or troubled individual versus the individual who poses a real threat. Threats of violence may come from many different sources. Each situation must be handled on a case by case basis, yet there are other issues that will need to be considered when the source is a customer, client, contractor, vendor or domestic partner of an employee.

In order to maintain a safe work environment, it is crucial for employees to develop early identification and intervention strategies with employees who make threats, so as to either have an opportunity to help those employees help themselves, or to separate them from the work environment before they commit harm.

By knowing what information is important in conducting a risk analysis, by verifying reports obtained, by treating all employees with respect and fairness, the threat assessment and management process can occur in a professional manner resulting in a successful outcome.

IMT is available to consult 24/7/365 to assist with threat assessment. If you would like to speak to an IMT consultant please call 248 347-3300.

Fitness for Duty

Case Management

Fitness for Duty Evaluation

As the workplace becomes more stressful, and an employer’s exposure to liability increases, precautionary steps need to be taken when dealing with potentially volatile situations in the workplace. A Fitness for Duty Examination can be one step towards providing concrete information about an employee’s level of functioning and their appropriateness for their work environment. By requesting a FFD Examination, an employer demonstrates their good faith effort in attempting to resolve potentially contentious and litigious situations in the workplace. Not only will a FFD Examination protect your from potential liability costs; it should also help you strengthen a more positive and productive work environment. Specific situations that usually warrant consideration for a FFD Examination are as follows:

Potential for workplace violence

Impaired concentration

Paranoid thinking

Abusive behavior to co-workers or customers

Anticipated return from an extended medical leave.

Case Management

Unlike a therapist who develops a relationship with the individual and is focused on helping them, a case manager stays in the middle ground. They are not an employee advocate nor are they part of management. A case manager focuses on both, assisting the employee maintaining their employment and making sure the workplace is getting their needs met.

A case manager would be responsible for:

Providing the initial assessment to determine needs.
Match individual to appropriate treatment resources.
Maintain regular communication with treating therapist.
Regular contact with employee, in-person, and telephone, depending on what the need is.
Generate monthly reports to company on employee status.

Most cases are case managed for the period of time the employee is in treatment. This time can very from short-term to one- two years.

Last Update: Friday October 24, 2003