$250,000 over five years to help train managers and staff

Edmonton (8 Nov. 2007) - The Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA/NUPGE) is pleased to announce a unique partnership with the Alberta Council of Women's Shelters (ACWS) to address family violence in the workplace.

HSAA is providing $250,000 over five years to the ACWS to develop a toolkit to train managers and staff about their responsibilities on the job. The toolkit is designed to recognize family violence as a workplace issue and to encourage men to take a leadership role in prevention.

HSAA president Elisabeth Ballermann says HSAA members "see first hand the impact of family violence" in workplaces, involving both patients and co-workers.

"Furthermore, we know that some members are affected in their homes. We not only recognize family violence as a key social concern but also as a health and safety issue in the workplace," she says.

Jan Reimer, ACWS provincial coordinator, praised HSAA's leadership on the issue.

"Family violence is the fastest growing category of workplace violence in Canada. With this unique partnership, we will be able to respond in a meaningful way to deal with this hidden issue,” Reimer says. NUPGE

More information:

Complete text of HSAA announcement [1]