On Monday, November 19, emergency room doctor Tamara O’Neal was shot outside her workplace, Mercy Hospital & Medical Center on Chicago’s south side. According to sources, the shooter, Juan Lopez, was angry with her over a broken engagement, leading to yet another workplace active shooter situation. While coworkers can be the perpetrators of workplace violence, employers must also be aware of the threat of domestic violence spillover stemming from an abuser in an employee’s home. If an employee reports that he or she is experiencing abuse at home, awareness and sensitivity on the part of the employer goes a long way. It’s a situation all too familiar to Lynn Fairweather, MSW, president of Presage Consulting and Training, LLC.
