Workplace violence is any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation or other threatening disruptive behavior that occurs in the workplace. It may range from threats and verbal abuse to physical assault and even homicide. It can affect and involve faculty, staff, students and visitors to our campus.

UCLA Policy 132: Workplace Violence Prevention Policy defines the following behaviors as workplace violence:

• Disruptive Behavior is conduct that prevents normal campus activities or workplace functions, and may act as “warning signs” to possible violence, including but not limited to verbal outbursts, excessive displays of anger, vandalizing University property, or any behavior that instills reasonable fear or generates sufficient evidence for concern that a person might act out violently.
• Domestic Violence is abusive or violent behavior between individuals who have an ongoing or a prior intimate or family relationship that poses a threat to the workplace, including dating violence.
• Stalking is behavior in which a person repeatedly engages in a course of conduct directed at another specific person, who places that person in reasonable fear of his or her safety or the safety of others, including the use of technology to commit this behavior.
• Threat is any physical, written or verbal conduct, whether direct, indirect or conditional, that conveys the intent or is reasonably perceived to convey the intent to cause physical harm or to place someone in fear of his or her safety or the safety of others.
• Violent Behavior involves physically aggressive acts against a person or a physical action intended to damage property.

• UCLA Workplace Violence Prevention Plan

Assess the Situation

Assisting Bruins in Distress (Red Folder, PDF)

A guide to figure out who to contact in distressing situations.

Responding to Employees in Distress (PDF)

This informational guide is to aid in assisting campus-based employees in their response to those who may pose a threat to self or others.

How to Respond

Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) addresses workplace violence including threats of violence, intimidation or other disrupting behaviors at work. 

Threats can impact and involve faculty, staff and campus visitors. This multidisciplinary team receives referrals about behaviors of concern and meets weekly to create a plan to address them. To report a concern, call (310) 794-0422 or email uclabit@chr.ucla.edu.

Report a Concerning Behavior

Report potential threats or behaviors of concern involving UCLA campus-based faculty or staff members.