Animal and 

Plant Health 

Inspection Service 

Office of the 

Administrator 

1400Independence

Avenue SW 

Washington, DC 

20250 

USDA

- United JUL 1 7 2018 States Department of Agriculture 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 

Workplace Violence Prevention Policy Statement 

Promoting and maintaining a safe work environment is critical to the welfare of our employees and 

our ability to carry out our mission. Just as we work daily to safeguard the Nation's agriculture 

and natural resources, we must also work daily to ensure a safe and harmonious work environment 

for all. 

As Administrator, I am committed to ensuring that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 

(APHIS) maintains the highest standard of excellence for professionalism in the workplace. As 

Federal employees, we are all responsible for proper and professional workplace conduct. Each 

customer, stakeholder, and employee should be treated fairly and equitably, with dignity and 

respect. The policy applies not only to how you as an employee should act, but also to how you 

deserve to be treated by others. 

Workplace violence is defined as any act of physical violence, threat of physical violence, 

harassment, intimidation, and other threatening, disruptive behavior occurring at the work site. 

There is zero tolerance for this behavior at APHIS. Behavior such as this occurs very rarely within 

APHIS; however, I realize no workplace is completely immune from potential conflict and 

disruptive behavior. Those individuals engaging in such activity may be removed from the 

premises and subject to disciplinary actions and/or criminal penalties. Each of us can mitigate the 

risk of harassing, threatening, or violent behavior by (1) assessing our communication styles and 

identifying where and how we can improve; (2) renewing our commitment to treat others with 

dignity and respect and showing that commitment through our actions; and, (3) ensuring all 

workplace communications, both verbal and written, demonstrate these values. 

If you experience or witness acts or threats of violence, immediately report the matter to your 

supervisor, manager, and/or the Workplace Violence and Prevention Coordinator. You can 

contact the APHIS/Foreign Agricultural Service Workplace Violence and Prevention office via a 

24 hour, toll-free number- 1-866-234-3174. You may also send an email to wpv@aphis.usda.gov 

or complete APHIS Form 259-R (Workplace Incident Report), located at 

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/library/forms/pdf/aphis259.pdf. 

All employees have a responsibility to be alert and to report potential workplace violence 

behavior. In addition, supervisors and managers are required to take prompt action to address any 

workplace violence complaints and ensure that no retaliation takes place against any employee or 

individual making a complaint or providing information about a complaint. Failure to report 

workplace violence incidents is considered a violation of this policy. All reports are taken 

seriously and are investigated. 

In cases involving imminent danger, dial 911. 

This policy must be posted in all workplaces, so employees and the public can view our 

commitment to Workplace Violence Prevention 

https://www.a_Qhis.usda.gov/civil rights/downloads/workplace violence.pdf. 

Kevin Shea 

Administrator