Dealing with economic harm situations with an employee can be ongoing for some time. Once things are put in motion there needs to be a commitment to ongoing support.

Even when external support is accessed, it may take time for the employee to work through their experience and get things sorted. Your employee may need regular check-ins and discussions over days, weeks or even months.

It is also possible things could get worse before they improve, as pressure from the person using violence may increase.

Check what you are doing to support your employee

What are you doing to support your employee?

There are some things you shouldn’t do too

• Seek proof of abuse
• Contact the person causing harm
• Compel the victim to accept support
• Try to be a social worker or fix it yourself
• Minimise the experience
• Include staff who don’t need to be involved
• Leave the conversation without a plan.

Always keep safety in mind

Your employee’s, your own and your team’s safety must be kept in mind at all times.

Remember that you’re probably not a trained social worker – so avoid overstepping. Intervening in what might seem the most helpful way can cause people to shut down, withdraw, or escalate very quickly.

It is important to know whether the relationship is breaking up – leaving a relationship is considered to be the most dangerous time where physical harm is a real possibility, even if it has not occurred previously in the relationship.

Seeking external support

External support comes in many forms depending on the extent of the problem, type of help wanted and cultural considerations.

It’s important that the person experiencing the harm has choices and is supported to make the decisions that work best for them. It’s easy to assume what the most appropriate support might be, however, it’s important that this is done together with the employee.

 Important questions to ask your employee when seeking support:

• Are there family members, partners, ex-partners, friends, or acquaintances who work in the service you are considering accessing?
• If so, are they supportive, would they have access to your information?​
• Do you want them to know or be involved?

Family violence agencies

Specialist family violence agencies can:

• Assist with safety plans – at work and home
• Advocate with Work and Income
• Provide access to legal assistance
• Liaise with police if necessary
• Provide education and advice – for both the employer and employee.

Finance

Our Financial Wellbeing Coaches are trained to support you with unmanageable debt and the financial side of your relationship. They can:

• Provide advocacy and support with banks, creditors and debt collectors
• Assist with support to access family violence services or address other needs as appropriate

Employment law

Employment law can include:

• Domestic violence leave
• Flexible working options
• Time off
• Information about appropriate treatment of staff.

Find out more about family violence leave – Employment New Zealand 

Holistic services

Culturally-specific support services that have an understanding of family harm can provide a whole of family response that includes traditional and role-specific values.

Banks

Most of the major banks now have dedicated teams who respond to:

• Family violence
• Economic harm
• Other customer vulnerabilities.