| NEW YORK - Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye and Chief Administrative
Judge Jonathan Lippman today announced that the Unified Court System has
adopted a domestic violence employee awareness and assistance policy, stemming
from the recommendations of a state domestic violence advisory committee.
The policy seeks to address workplace-related safety issues for victimized
employees, increase employee awareness of domestic violence and information
about available sources of assistance, and prevent discrimination against
victims of domestic violence.
The Advisory Council to the New York State Office for the Prevention
of Domestic Violence (OPDV), chaired by Charlotte A. Watson, the Executive
Director of OPDV, developed a model domestic violence policy to be tailored
for use by governmental agencies statewide - an initiative headed by Governor
George E. Pataki. The court system's efforts to adopt a comprehensive domestic
violence policy were spearheaded by the New York State Judicial Committee
on Women in the Courts, chaired by former Presiding Justice Betty Weinberg
Ellerin of the Appellate Division, First Department.
Judge Lippman said, "Domestic violence affects the lives of people in
all segments of society, often with tragic consequences. Under the leadership
of Chief Judge Kaye and the outstanding contributions of the Judicial Committee
on Women in the Courts, the New York state court system has adopted a new
policy to assist employees who are victims of domestic violence and to
help others become more informed about these issues. I would like to thank
the Governor, Charlotte Watson and members of the Advisory Council from
all branches of State government for developing a model domestic violence
policy, upon which the court system's efforts are based."
The court system's new domestic violence policy includes guidelines
to:
-
Increase awareness of domestic violence and inform employees of available
sources of assistance
-
Ensure that personnel policies and procedures do not discriminate against
victims and are responsive to their needs
-
Establish workplace safety response plans
-
Hold accountable employees who are offenders
-
Ensure that employees convicted of domestic violence or subject to an order
of protection not have access to firearms
Make training on domestic violence available regularly for management,
human resources and security personnel
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