The assassination of UnitedHealthcare (UHC) CEO Brian Thompson represents one extreme form of workplace violence.  Like those who assassinate political leaders, those who assassinate business leaders are often motivated by unrelenting grievance.  In the case of Mr. Thompson, UnitedHealthcare’s high rate of coverage denial—criticized in a September 2024 Senate report—is the likely source of this assassin’s grudge, hence the inscriptions “Deny,” “Defend,” and “Depose” on the live rounds and cartridge casings left at the scene.  Mr. Thompson’s widow told NBC News that her husband had received threats from multiple people which she thought might be related to “lack of coverage.”

The case has attracted national attention, with considerable commentary on the anger directed toward health care insurers over denial of coverage.  But this is not the only industry in which Executives experience threats and violence risk…

Every criminal has multiple motives, though one may predominate in any particular case.

For assassins, two motives predominate: grievance and performance.

Grievance is a broad category, encompassing all manner of extremism, personal and political grudges, and anything else stoking anger. As has become clear in recent decades, grievances that once might have been resolved among reasonable people through civil discourse are often inflamed by the repetition, hyperbole…

TAG’s California Workplace Violence Prevention Package eases the burden for employers to comply with the new California Workplace Violence Prevention requirements before the July 1, 2024, deadline.

California’s new requirements, stemming from SB 553, are found in Labor Code section 6401.9.  This new law requires employers with 10 or more employees at a California location at any given time or with a location accessible to the public to take specific steps to prevent and respond to workplace violence, including a lengthy list of requirements for a workplace violence prevention plan, training, record keeping, and record retention.

California Senate Bill No. 553 (“SB 553”), which Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law on September 20, 2023, requires covered California employers to take steps to prevent and respond to workplace violence, including a lengthy list of requirements for a workplace violence prevention plan, training, record keeping, and record retention.

Suicide and other mental health issues loom large in the lives of a growing proportion of employees as the tolls of the pandemic and uncertainties in the political and economic landscapes create a heavier burden of anxiety and depression among employees and their families.

Roy Holden, Jr., a cable technician working for Charter Communications performed a service call at the home of 83-year-old Mrs. Betty Thomas in 2019 and returned the next day while off duty in a company van wearing his work uniform. Holden stole credit cards from Mrs. Thomas’ purse and fatally stabbed her with a tool from his company toolbox. Holden confessed to the murder and was sentenced to life in prison.

Stalking—unwanted surveillance and contact that causes reasonable fear—affects just under 4 million Americans 16 and older each year. Of these victims, over 2 million will miss more than 5 days at work annually because of the unwanted harassment from their offender. *Presenteeism, or loss of productivity at work is also a major issue affecting stalking victims and their employers. In 2016, the financial costs of stalking, which include productivity loss and health services, amounted to $604 million dollars for companies in the United States.

Robert Brockman—the software billionaire charged in the largest tax evasion case in American history, who has since claimed to have a form of dementia—will be evaluated by a team of three doctors, including Park Dietz, the most famous forensic psychiatrist in the country.

On Wednesday, May 26th, 57-year-old Samuel Cassidy, a maintenance worker and nine-year employee of the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) entered his workplace in San Jose, CA, with two 9 mm pistols. He opened fire at a union meeting and fatally shot nine co-workers, firing an estimated 30-40 rounds.

As the U.S. experiences a wave of civil unrest, our clients have asked us to prepare materials to help keep their employees safe.

Call today if you’d like to preview TAG’s video on “Staying Safe During Civil Unrest." Both the video and a print version of the material are available immediately for purchase, license, or customization.

by Park Dietz, MD, MPH, PhD

The news is filled with statistics about COVID-19, many of which do not mean what you may believe they mean, and some of which are devoid of meaning. Any educated consumer of information—and certainly anyone who has taken an introductory course in statistics, sociology, political science, or epidemiology—would know that frequency data (e.g., the number of people with a disease) can’t be interpreted to estimate disease risk without considering the number of people in the population (e.g., the number of Covid-19 cases per 100,000 population).

Ron Walker may be the only man alive who can lay claim to having been a fighter pilot, an FBI criminal profiler, and a consultant to the Fortune 500. Ron joined TAG in April, 2000, after 20 years in the FBI and 12 years on active duty in the U.S. Air Force. TAG is proud of his accomplishments and grateful that he has been on our team for the past 20 years.

Epidemiology Consultation

Many of our clients have communicated that they are following WHO and CDC recommendations during the COVID-19 pandemic, and for many these may be sufficient.

As you may already have discovered, however, universal recommendations often omit the specifics you need for prudent decision-making as you encounter individualized risks and unique needs. This is especially true because the natural history of this disease and its transmission haven't yet been fully charted.

Sadly, news reports regarding talented actor and singer Jussie Smollett have again thrust the topic of false allegations into public consciousness. False allegations are a regular, if uncommon, occurrence in educational institutions, workplaces, civil litigation, and the criminal justice system.

TAG is pleased to offer an exclusive advanced training experience at the Allstate Insurance Headquarters Campus in Northbrook, Illinois, to qualified professionals who manage workplace misconduct risks in their organizations.

Chris Cuomo takes viewers inside the country’s most dangerous minds on HLN's ‘Inside Evil' 

Ever worked with someone who made you feel uncomfortable? Maybe you were never sure whether you’d find them in a friendly frame of mind or in full attack mode. Maybe you’d seen them yell, curse, and call people names on more than one occasion—and nobody, including their supervisor, had done anything to stop them. Perhaps their disturbing behavior was quieter: they confided their many grudges and thoughts of revenge or showed a strange fascination with one of your coworkers. Join host Ken Dolan-Del Vecchio for a conversation with Dr. Park Dietz.

Forensic psychiatrist Dr. Park Dietz shares how to spot the warning signs for increased risk of violent behavior in those around you.