TLAP Zero Tolerance Policy on Aggressive or Abusive Behavior

The Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program (TLAP) strives to develop positive relationships and build trust with everyone it serves. The following policy supports TLAP’s staff, its clients, and all others who interact with TLAP.

Of course, TLAP fully expects that clients are often under pressure and may be emotionally upset when they come to TLAP. Initially, they may not be at their best. TLAP is compassionate and patient and makes every effort to work with all clients, no matter what their situation is at intake.

Nonetheless, TLAP has a zero-tolerance policy regarding aggressive behavior that becomes abusive or threatening.

TLAP’s staff strive to extend courtesy and respect to clients. Conversely, TLAP requires that clients and others interacting with TLAP’s staff reciprocate and extend courtesy and respect back to TLAP. TLAP cannot provide services to clients who engage in abusive or threatening behaviors toward TLAP’s staff.

Examples of problematic behaviors include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Physical attack, assault, or abuse, etc.
  • Threats (actual or perceived by TLAP) or any other intimidating behaviors that TLAP’s staff infer to be placing the staff’s emotional wellbeing or physical safety in danger
  • Verbal or psychological abuse, including rudeness, derogatory comments, discriminatory language, unsubstantiated allegations, or explicit language, etc.
  • Threats or actions of any other nature or kind that, in TLAP’s opinion, seek to intimidate TLAP into changing its clinical opinions, recommendations, or programming, etc.
  • Persistent, unrealistic demands for attention, or excessive levels of contact or communication that cause undue stress or disruption with TLAP’s staff
  • Sexual harassment and/or sexual assault
  • Any other behavior that, in TLAP’s opinion, is unacceptably disruptive, aggressive, abusive, or threatening to TLAP’s staff, etc.

When a client engages in behavior that is unacceptable under this policy, TLAP staff member(s) are authorized to take immediate action as they deem necessary including, but not limited to, ending communication, deeming the client substantially non-compliant in TLAP, declining further interaction with the client, and closing the client’s file.

At all times, TLAP reserves its right to decline to accept a client’s case, or else decline further services in a client’s case.