Workplace frustration boiled over in a westside San Antonio restaurant last month.  A waitress reacted badly when her work hours were reduced.  Maria Benavidez expressed frustration at her reduced hours.  She looked at the manager’s stepson’s paycheck – who also worked there.  Her manager told her to leave and called the police.  Ms. Benavidez then tossed a pot at the manager.  The manager then tried to walk away.  The irate waitress then threw a cleaver at him and threatened to kill him.  The cleaver left a large cut in the back of his head. 

Ms. Benavidez was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.  See San Antonio Express News report

How do we prevent workplace violence?  My friend and colleague, Dan Schwarz at Connecticut Employment Blog suggests these steps: 

  • provide training to employees regarding workplace violence.  Teach employees about the warning signs of workplace violence.
  • encourage an open door policy.  Encourge employees to report safety issues or unusual behavior.
  • Do not hesitate to contact the police.  resist the urge to try to deal with a "situation" internally.
  • Take incidents seriously.  Address each situation on a case-by-case basis.  

See more at Dan’s post